By Amara Kargbo

The Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA), an entity which is charged with the responsibility to regulate the port sector, deliver effective and efficient Ports services, facilitate international trade and foster economic growth has been experiencing significant problems in revenue generation, especially with the Sierra Leone Shipping. The Agency owes a long-standing debt to the Sierra Leone Ports Authority to the tune of over two millions dollars United States dollars ($US2,000,000) for services delivered.

Andrew Tamba Kpulun, Financial Controller as well as a Consultant for the SLPA made this concern while they were presenting their Fiscal Year 2024 Budget at the bilateral discussion at the Finance Ministry yesterday. He said that the Shipping Agency is charged with the statutory right to do all clearing and forwarding for the government, while the SLPA is just the landlord, and that most of its revenue generation was not sub-vented.

Mr. Tamba maintained that whenever services are being delivered they expect payment but insisted that this has been a long-standing problem with the Shipping Agency.

He disclosed that the SLPA management is planning to meet the Ministry of Finance through their regulatory ministry, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation to see how best they can get such money which is over two million dollars ($2m) from the Sierra Leone Shipping Agency.

The SLPA senior manager said there continue to exist relative challenges they are facing including poor coordination and cooperation, and that given the complexity of the Ports operations, there needs to be cooperation and coordination between parties like the Customs, Shipping Agencies, Insurance Companies, Transporters, and clearing and forwarding agents.

Andrew Tamba highlighted that the dredging that has so far been done is inadequate and remains a problem which leads to berths and entrance channels having a lot of silt, thereby resulting in the reduced capacity of the port to accommodate deep-draught vessels.

He also said that the internet connectivity at the Port is not up to standards and remains a major challenge in a competitive maritime industry.

The consultant said that the port has been requesting financial assistance, and the Ministry of Transport and Finance Ministry came to their aid through the concession fee the government is generating from the port. He also said that the Port administration too needs support and that the government has agreed to support and has already started giving the Sierra Leone Ports Authority 30% of the concession fee that port is generating.

The concession fee the Port is receiving from the government has been tied to the rehabilitation of one of the jetties whose work is ongoing.

He explained that if the government is to generate sufficient revenue, then it needs to invest in the marine sector, invest in the rehabilitation of gabions, invest in the entire port, and make sure that the port becomes the pride of Sierra Leone.