By Buba Gagigo
The Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure has dismissed claims made by United Democratic Party (UDP) leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, alleging that the government has sold the Banjul Port to a Turkish company.
In a statement released in response to Darboe’s remarks during a press conference on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the ministry described his allegations as “utterly misleading” and “deliberately crafted to misinform the public.”
“The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure wishes to clarify as utterly misleading, a statement by the Leader of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) Lawyer Ousainou Darboe during his press conference on Tuesday 4th March 2025 where he repeatedly claimed that The Gambia Government has sold the Port of Banjul to a Turkish company, Albayrak. Lawyer Darboe’s statements were not only tastelessly false but were deliberately crafted to misinform his audience principally to discredit a business opportunity that is clearly to transform Port Service delivery in The Gambia,” the Works Ministry said.
The ministry further emphasized that the ongoing port concession negotiations have been conducted in good faith, guided by patriotism and a commitment to national development.
“For the avoidance of doubt, and contrary to Lawyer Darboe’s misinformed claims during his press conference, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure and its partners involved in the Port Concession negotiation were guided by good faith, patriotism and love for the country,” they explained.
According to the ministry, the process has been overseen by an internationally recognized Transactional Advisory Firm with experience in handling large-scale infrastructure projects across Europe and Africa.
The ministry also criticized Darboe’s characterization of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) management, arguing that his comments undermined the capabilities of the current leadership.
“In his clear low level of understanding of port operations, Lawyer Darboe made a varied and demeaning characterization of the present management of Gambia Ports Authority as men and women who are not up to the task compared to previous managers before them, surprisingly even those who served under a dictatorship that used and misused the resources of the Ports to oppress and jail Mr. Darboe,” the ministry said.
Providing historical context, the ministry noted that the Port of Banjul was a relatively small facility during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with significant growth only beginning in 1992. It highlighted that prior to 2016, the port experienced lower cargo volumes due to a smaller population and limited trade activity.
“The population in The Gambia then was below 700,000 and the import figures up to the mid-90s was less than 500,000 tonnes, commensurate with the population growth and consumption rate. With the advent of the new government in 2016, volume grew more than expected to the level that the Port of Banjul, which was less than busy, started to experience acute congestion due to the growth in volumes. Record dividend ever was paid by the current GPA Management to Government during this period after more than 10 years, starting with 20 Million in 2018 and reaching 190 Million by 2021,” they said.
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