September 20, 2021
By: James Kamara-Manneh
The General Manager of Sierra Leone Port Authority (SLPA), Dr. Abdulai Fofana has in an exclusive interview with A-Z Newspaper disclosed that managing waste is the biggest challenge he has been grappling with since assuming office. The Sierra Leone Port Authority as a natural harbor has evolved from service port to one of dealing with concessions.
He disclosed that SLPA coffer and bank balance was in a pretty bad state but he has gradually been able to put systems in place that are quite promising.
He said his biggest asset is the workforce that he is working on to transition from the ‘dreg man’ mentality to proud workers whose welfare is secured, noting under his tenure he has been in position to increase salaries by 40% .
He cited one success story in having a clean bill of slate with the international audit at the onset of his tenure in office.
“When we came into office in September 2018 and it was just at the eve for the audit to be carried out. So we hurriedly looked at the coffer which was virtually empty, so as a landlord we have to beg the investors to come to our aid so that we put the basic systems in place in order to survive the audit.”
SLPA has now assumed a land role dealing concessions and fees generated are paid to government. But Dr. Fofana disclosed that they have been able to get 25% of revenue generated which they are reinvesting to modernize the port, noting that there are now CCTV cameras installed: it is possible for him to be in office and see all that is going on in different parts of the port. He lamented the fact the royalties they are collecting from cargoes they handle are relatively small for the reinvestment plans they hope to embark on.
He said it is his hope that he could have 100% access to concession fees that will enable him drive the plans of improving the infrastructure and security of the port to attract more vessels at the natural port.
Dr. Fofana alluded to the fact that managing the port is capital intensive so there is need to have investment here and there in enhancing revenue. He revealed that currently they have been able to award the contract for the rehabilitation of Lungi –Tagrin terminal.
It has emerged from the interview the SLPA General Manager that huge quantum of Guinean containers are now transshipped from water quay and with progress made in due course it is possible to exploit the Malian market especially when the road network between Kabala via Farana is improved to Mali.
It is the view that making the port viable is to ensure that 90% bad and ugly people that have been operating at the port are worked on in the context of improved security to build the confidence of concessionaires.
Dr. Fofana argued that the wealth of the UAE is not actually from oil but the efficient management of their port.