There have been indications of late that the Gambia government could have done more and better work before it ceded a chunk of the Banjul Port to Albayrak now Al Port.
The liquidity position of Al Port, the company operating the Gambia’s only seaport, is not strong enough to transform the port as earlier expected, bringing to the fore the question as to whether or not the Gambia government has acted with diligence when it ceded 80% of port operations to the company.
In February of this year, a Turkish company Albayrak, which has a tainted past in other countries, was re-baptized Al Port and started operations.
The PPP arrangement, which was approved by the Barrow administration in 2023, was expected to set the balling rolling for the expansion of the Banjul Port and building of a new deep seaport in Sanyang.
However, since taking over the port operations earlier this year, Al Port never made any significant investment to improve the port facility. The Gambia Port Authority (GPA) has already acquired the contiguous area of the port for expansion.
Al Port has not also made good on its promise of bringing in adequate equipment. It ordered only seven pieces of cargo handling machines since it took over.
There have been indications that Al Port is struggling, financially.
Dockers were reportedly demanding “dues” from the company. Al Port has also reached out to the Zenith Bank for financial boost through a credit facility, which the GPA was not enchanted with.
The question that many Gambians have been asking is: Did the Barrow government fail in exercising due diligence in the Banjul Port concession? And will it revisit the agreement to understand whether or not it is citizens’ interest?
