Government plans to launch a fundraising campaign to feed starving chimpanzees at Ngamba sanctuary.

As government, we need to work with the private sector to see how this can be solved," the State Minister for Tourism, Mr Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi said on Thursday during his visit to the sanctuary which is home to about 50 chimps.

According to the minister, government has been supporting the sanctuary through grants.

My visit to the island was to show government commitment in supporting the sanctuary such that when Covid-19 is finally gone, we shall still be coming here to see our chimps.

Ms Lilly Ajarova, the Chief Executive Officer for Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) said before the virus pandemic, the sanctuary used to attract about 6,000 international tourists which would earn them about $3,000 (about Shs11,358,000) in a year.