Minister Sillah admits gov’t delays stalled al-Bayrak port deal

The Minister for Transport, Works and Infrastructure, Ebrima Sillah, has told the National Assembly that delays affecting the concession agreement between the Gambia Ports Authority and Turkish company Al-Bayrak were partly caused by government.

Minister Sillah made this statement yesterday at the National Assembly. The admission came during a question-and-answer session after the Member for Banjul Central, Hon Abdoulie Njie, asked the minister to inform lawmakers about the current status of the concession and the reasons behind the delays in its implementation.

Sillah acknowledged that delays occurred in the early stages of the Sanyang port project.

“There is a severe lack of understanding,” the minister told the Assembly as questions mounted over the pace of implementation. “The delay is on both sides.”

He explained that one of the main setbacks came from the government’s inability to provide the leased land in Sanyang in time. Without access to the land, the concessionaire could not begin important geotechnical studies or conduct the environmental and social impact assessments required before construction.

“Until Monday, we have not been able to provide the lease,” Sillah said, noting that no contractor involved in a project of that scale would risk investing on land where ownership or leasing arrangements are not clear.

The minister further revealed that the government also failed to provide lease documents that would allow the concessionaire access to the Kaur and Basse logistics platforms, another factor that slowed progress.

Because the original timelines were missed, the parties had to renegotiate and extend the deadlines for the studies that should have started earlier.

Despite the concerns raised, Sillah insisted that the situation should not be described as a controversy, arguing that it was largely the result of misunderstanding.

Sillah reaffirmed work under the concession is progressing in several areas. He explained that the rehabilitation of the Port of Banjul was completed within the timeframe originally set, which required the works to be finished within one year from the effective date of 14 February 2025.

According to the minister, the construction of a new container terminal within properties acquired in Half-die has also been completed and the area is already being utilised. He added that new equipment has been delivered to the port while the rehabilitation of the existing terminal is continuing.

Lawmakers nonetheless pushed for more clarity. The Minority Leader for Brikama North asked the minister to provide a breakdown of the new timeline that had been agreed. 

In response, Sillah said that now that the lease has been assigned to the Gambia Ports Authority, the concessionaire will have almost one year to complete the necessary studies.

Source: The Point