On Saturday 6th March, 2021 a delegation from the Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA) paid a courtesy call to Sulima Town in the Soro Gbeima Chiefdom, Pujehun District, and Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The delegation constituted the General Manager, Dr. Abdulai Fofana; Deputy General Manager, Mr. Yankuba Askia Bio; and Heads of Departments including : Operations and Monitoring (Foday Manso Koroma), Engineering Services (Sheik Ahmed Daboh), Technical Services (Alhaji Sheihk Umar Sesay), Research and Planning (Alhaji Abubakaar Bah) and the Acting Harbor Master (Alpha Yaya Bangura).
The objective of the visit was to revive the presence and operations of The Authority in Sulima chiefdom which has the space and natural endowment for port operations. Sulima in the colonial days had a port, but decades of neglect and non-use of the site led to the ruin of the structures.
On arrival, the delegation was received by Paramount Chief, Mustapha J Massaquoi of Soro Gbeima Chiefdom who expressed delight for such an important visit to the site. He added that the reopening of Port operations in Sulima will attract several economic and social benefits for the country, with direct influence on youths in the chiefdom and the district at large.
PC Mustapha J Massaquoi further expressed his openness to development and interest in The Authority’s proposal for a Port at Sulima town. The Paramount Chief noted that the Chiefdom is opened for investment especially in the maritime and tourism sectors. He furthered that the chiefdom has over the years under-utilized its potentials particularly in tourism, maritime and agriculture.
During discussions on the purpose of the visit, SLPA General Manager Dr. Abdulai Fofana stated that their visit is in fulfillment of President Bio’s vision of service expansion, increasing trade and creating jobs to boost the economy. Dr. Fofana added that the visit is also to familiarize with Sulima Town and to assess the possibilities of decentralizing port operations in line with The Authority’s Master Plan and President Bio’s New Direction agenda of establishing a Transshipment hub in the sub-region.
Sulima Town is strategically located for a transshipment hub owing to the agricultural and other economic activities in surrounding towns, and its aqua-distance to Guinea, Liberia, other landlocked countries in the sub-region including South America, said Dr. Fofana.
Reaffirming The Authority’s goodwill, the Deputy General Manager, Yankuba Askia Bio said the visit is just one of several inspired by the goodwill of Management in delivering on the promise of President Bio in making Sierra Leone a destination for international trade. Mr. Bio reechoed the significance of establishing a port in the Chiefdom. Accordingly, the chiefdom will benefit immensely from employment and Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the form of scholarships and other community development initiatives.
In concluding the official courtesies of the visit, the Councilor of Ward 357 in the Soro Gbeima Chiefdom, Francis Ngele, thanked the team and assured the team of the Chiefdom’s supports at all times. Mr. Ngele said the town has played hosts to the Ministry of Fisheries and other agencies including the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA). Councilor Ngele called on the government and other potential investors to consider rehabilitating the deplorable road leading to the township.
The delegation from the Authority returned to Freetown on the same day of the visit agreeing on the following as immediate action points:
- Establishment of an office space in Sulima town;
- Deployment of staff at Sulima; and
- Inviting investors for partnership to construct and operate a Port in Sulima
