The Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, Fr. Peter Konteh has termed the US Visa ban on Sierra Leoneans as an embarrassment to the nation.

Konteh, speaking to ACI Africa, earlier this week said the ban should be a “wake-up call” to the nation.

“Recent developments have placed Sierra Leone on the spotlight for all the wrong reasons,” Father Konteh told ACI Africa.

The US Visa Travel ban will take effect this Monday, June 9 with 19 countries including Sierra Leone, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan.

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The Priest urged the Sierra Leone Government to dialogue with the US over the ban. He added that authorities should advocate against the ban while correcting misconceptions that could have led to it. He suggested that the ban could have been ignited by the growing drug abuse in the West African country.

On June 4, President Donald Trump, in an executive order, announced a partial Visa ban on all Sierra Leoneans.

Sierra Leonean nationals seeking specific visa categories, including immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas such as tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F), and exchange visitor (J) visas, are currently subject to a partial ban. However, it’s important to note that individuals who held valid U.S. visas as of June 9 are not affected by this change. The directive said that they can still enter the US until their visas reach expiration. This transition allows for ongoing travel and opportunities for those with pre-existing visas while addressing the current situation.