By Kebba AF Touray
The National Audit Office (NAO) has cited insufficient space as the major challenge confronting the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA).
NAO disclosed this in its 2021 Performance Audit Report on the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA). The NAO report explained that the terminal space at Banjul port cannot optimally accommodate the current rate of container cargo arriving at the port, and attributes this to growth in traffic inflow without a corresponding terminal expansion. The report further indicates that a review of the port layout and site visits disclosed that the port has three terminals.
The NAO report cites terminals twenty-two at the former Public Works Department (PWD and North terminals), which are designated for the storage of container cargo. However, the audit report said all three terminals have received cargo beyond their respective capacities, thus adding to the congestion at the port.
The audit report gave Terminal 22 as an example and said this particular terminal is designed to stack 900 containers, but it already stacks 1,500 containers, while the PWD Terminal which is designed to stack 900 containers, currently stacks 1,200 containers.
In addition, the audit report noted that these container terminals are not only used for the storage of container cargo as designated, but are also used for other activities such as screening and loading of containers on trucks for delivery and other activities.
“According to the Port’s management, these activities were supposed to be carried out at a designated area outside these terminals, but due to lack of space at the port, they could not be carried out elsewhere except at the terminal which occupies space for the containers to be placed,” the NAO report said; adding that they have also noted during their site visit and review of port documents that the GPA has moved to implement the port extension master plan 2019-2024.
It stated that for effective handling of cargo and its related activities, the management of the GPA has rented land from Sadia Trading to create an additional storage area in July 2019, measuring 25,918 square meters. This, the report, said is rented at a rate of 9.22 USD per meter square, which is equivalent to $238,964 per annum. The Audit report, however, said that the port management failed to utilize the arrangement for its intended purpose for that particular commercial year. The report said the business arrangement of paying these huge amounts of monies only to access the service later, is neither economical nor effective while there is still congestion at the port.
The report said that a visit to this rented land area revealed only a small portion was utilized to store imported vehicles awaiting clearance, while the other terminals are left to battle with issues of space for incoming containers.
In light of this and other issues, the NAO audit report said the port of Banjul does not have the required terminal space to handle the current capacity optimally, and as a result, stacking methods that are below standard are used to accommodate containers; that this restricts the easy maneuvering of plants and increases the number of shifts which also contributes to the overuse of the plants.
The NAO report said the limited number of plants available also contributes immensely to the overuse of plants and slows down service delivery, and said issuing rent waivers does not reduce congestion, but leads to loss of revenue.
The NAO report thus recommended the urgent need for the expansion of the terminals to match the current rate of increased container arrivals in order to be able to handle such anticipated increases in the future.
“The management of GPA is aware of this as captured in the Port Master Plan 2019 – 2024. The plan documents were reviewed and endorsed by the Government of The Gambia. Hence if implemented, it is expected to decongest the port, fasten service delivery, and thus increase the competitive advantage of the port of Banjul,” the NAO report said; stating that although there are plans in place, the implementation of these plans is slow and needs to be expedited.
