To Ease Pressure on Freetown Port… Opposition Whip Calls for New Port at Kent

By Thomas Dixon

232news –

Members of Parliament from both sides of the political divide have called for the development of a new port facility at Kent, Western Rural District, to ease congestion at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown and create new opportunities for economic growth.

The call was made on Thursday 20th August 2026, during parliamentary proceedings to approve 12 presidential nominees appointed by President Julius Maada Bio to various positions, including ministers, deputy ministers, ambassadors, board chairpersons, board members and commissioners.

Contributing to the debate, the Opposition Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, said Sierra Leone needed to take urgent steps to expand its port infrastructure if the country was serious about positioning itself as a major business and trading hub within the Mano River Union.

He expressed concern over the current condition of the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, describing it as congested, overcrowded and incapable of efficiently handling the growing volume of cargo passing through the country.

According to Hon. Kamara, ordinary business people often face significant delays when attempting to clear their containers from the port.

He said goods that should ordinarily be cleared within 24 hours could sometimes remain at the port for weeks, resulting in substantial demurrage charges for importers.

“This is pathetic for our businesspeople,” he said, while stressing that the situation was placing unnecessary financial pressure on the private sector.

Hon. Kamara further referred to comments by the outgoing Minister of Finance, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, who had previously highlighted the need for a new port as part of efforts to expand the economy.

He argued that the increasing movement of containers into Sierra Leone was evidence of the country’s growing importance as a trading destination within the Mano River Union.

He said travellers approaching Sierra Leone from Kambia could see large numbers of containers moving through the region, an indication that the country had the potential to become a major regional business hub if the necessary infrastructure was provided.

The Opposition Whip therefore urged the newly approved Minister of Finance, Karefa Kargbo, to consider the issue of port expansion as a matter of national economic importance.

Hon. Kamara also called on the newly approved Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Umaru Napoleon Koroma, to pay particular attention to the implementation of local-content policies.

He argued that Sierra Leone’s economy could not grow sustainably without empowering local businesses and entrepreneurs.

According to him, greater financial and institutional support should be provided to indigenous businesspeople to enable them to compete effectively and retain more economic value within the country.

He questioned the continued dominance of some foreign businesses in certain sectors of the economy, arguing that Sierra Leoneans should also be given the opportunity to build and control businesses capable of contributing significantly to national development.

Hon. Kamara also threw his support behind the proposed Kent Port project, associated with businessman Mohamed Gento Kamara, arguing that the initiative should be considered on its economic merits rather than simply because it is locally owned.

He said the country’s current port congestion had created an urgent need for additional port infrastructure.

Contributing to the discussion, Speaker of Parliament Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh acknowledged the importance of the concerns raised.

Hon. Kamara further argued that supporting the proposed Kent port should not necessarily be viewed as giving a gift to a private business operator.

Rather, he described the proposed investment as a potential loan arrangement that would be repaid with an agreed percentage, suggesting that government could consider investing in infrastructure capable of generating long-term economic returns.

He questioned why the country would continue investing resources in measures that had failed to completely resolve congestion at the main port when alternative infrastructure could help address the problem.

According to him, attempts to introduce 24-hour port operations and develop dry-port facilities had not fully addressed the underlying challenges.

“Why not empower Gento to have a port harbour?” he asked, while calling for collective action to address the country’s port infrastructure needs.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Parliament’s Committee on Finance and Economic Development, Hon. Kekura Vandy, also called on the newly approved Minister of Finance to support the development of the proposed port facility at Kent.

Hon. Vandy said investment in additional port infrastructure could help boost economic activity, facilitate trade, reduce congestion and create new opportunities for Sierra Leonean businesses.

The parliamentary debate has therefore brought renewed attention to the country’s port infrastructure at a time when businesses continue to complain about congestion, delays and the rising cost of importing and clearing goods.

For Sierra Leone to fully capitalise on its strategic location within the Mano River Union, lawmakers believe the country must now look beyond the existing port and consider new, modern and strategically located port infrastructure capable of meeting future demand.