Banjul, 06th March 2025: The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure has issued a press release debunking claims by opposition leader Ousainou Darboe that government has sold the Banjul Port to the Turkish company, Albayrak.
The UDP leader made the claims during his press conference on Tuesday 4th March 2025.
The rest of the text of the release is as follows:
Lawyer Darboe’s statements were not only tastelessly false but were deliberately crafted to misinform his audience principally to discredit a business opportunity that is clearly set to transform Port Service delivery in The Gambia. For the avoidance of doubt, and contrary to Lawyer Darboe’s misinformed claims during his press conference, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure and its partners involved in the Port Concession negotiation were guided by good faith, patriotism and love for the country. The process was aided and supported all through by an International Transactional Advisory Firm with experience in delivering such mega projects in more than ten countries in Europe and Africa.
In his clear low level of understanding of port operations, Lawyer Darboe made a varied and demeaning characterization of the present management of Gambia Ports Authority as men and women who are not up to the task compared to previous managers before them, surprisingly even those who served under a dictatorship that used and misused the resources of the Ports to oppress and jail Mr. Darboe.
However, to set the records straight, it has to be clear that the Port of Banjul was a small Port during the late 80’s to the early 90s and real growth and expansion only happened in 1992.
The population in The Gambia then was below 700,000 and the import figures up to the mid-90s was less than 500,000 tonnes, commensurate with the population growth and consumption rate.
With the advent of the new Government in 2016,volume grew more than expected to the level than the Port of Banjul, which was less than busy, started to experience acute congestion due to the growth in volumes. Record dividend ever was paid by the current GPA Management to Government during this period after more than 10 years, starting with 20 Million in 2018 reaching 190 Million by 2021.
Some of the achievements registered during this new Government include:
• Severance of Dock workers employed under the 1963 Labour Ordinance and setting up of the private Stevedoring Dock Labour Company
• Salary Increment and Bonus Payment to staff after more than 20 years
• Launching of the 4th Banjul Port Development Project
• Signing of the new Performance Contract with Government since1994.
• Record payment of Dividend to Government
• Signing of a concession agreement with Albayrak in which Government has no financial contribution, the fixed assets remain under Government ownership yet hold 20% equity, will benefit from an improved infrastructure in Banjul and a new deep seaport in Sanyang.
• Contrary to the statement that the Port is sold, all the fixed assets of the GPA remain under Government ownership while the investor bears all the financing risks, and is allowed right to use the Port with payment of certain percentage of the gross revenues to Government.
• Other advantages of the Concession, in which The Gambia and Guinea Bissau are the only ports within the sub region to remain under public ownership and management include:
• GoG/GPA will hold 20% equity in the SPV,
• The investor will invest USD19 million to improve efficiency in Banjul over 6 years,
• This investment will include new equipment, expansion/upgrading of the container terminal and truck parking,
• A new truck parking at Bund Road for a vehicle calling system,
• GoG/GPA will receive USD 5 million as payments for all moveable assets in Banjul,
• GoG/GPA will receive 4% annually from the gross revenue in Banjul,
• Percentage of the profits in Banjul will be set aside as reserve funds, earmarked for investment in Sanyang Deep Seaport,
• All staff currently involved in the operations will be maintained by Albayrak under their same terms and conditions of employment as existed under the GPA,
• GPA will have seat(s) at the Board and Management of the Project Company to be determined during the structuring of the shareholders’ agreement,Sanyang Deep Seaport
• No financial contribution from GoG/GPA as investor bears all financing risks,
• Higher traffic forecast than the one initially proposed by Albayrak,
• Draft in the channel at Sanyang Port to be12m while Albayrak proposed 10m,
• There will be lower overall cost of doing business with the capacity increases,
• Deeper draft vessels will call Sanyang attracting lower freight rates,
• GoG/GPA will receive payments in the form of dividends as shareholder,
• GoG/GPA will benefit with the improved port infrastructure,
• Basse and Kaur Inland Ports/logistics platforms will be developed as part of the project,
• Local companies will be involved in the Inland Ports to be set up as separate JVs,
• Local content provision of 1%of the total investment value to be paid to GoG,
• Banjul Shipyard development forms part of the project investment scope.
Therefore, from the above factsheet, it is clear that the Port remains 100% property of The Gambia Government. What is concessioned out are management and operations. The harbor and mooring services still remain under the control of the Government.
The general public is therefore urged to ignore the misinformation coming from the UDP camp since the successful launch of the Port Concession. They are meant to get good Gambians engaged in fishy expeditions and mindless banter in the social media thinking that will discredit the government and actors behind the Concession Project. That has woefully failed flat on the face of the perpetrators.
