Operations at the Port of Banjul have ground to a halt as clearing agents and forwarders launched a defiant protest against a new mandatory cargo tracking system.
The agents are accusing the government of entering into a “non-genuine” partnership with Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions (GMLtd) to enforce what they describe as exploitative service fees.
Speaking to a crowd of reporters at the seaport, Lamin Basse Bojang, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of Clearing and Forwarding Agents, expressed deep scepticism regarding the new Cargo Tracking system.
“We came to understand that the payment was not genuine,” Bojang stated. “We previously engaged the relevant authorities and they withdrew the payment. Now, it has returned. We have made our points clear; this payment cannot be effected because it is not genuine.”
Bojang argued that the private company contracted by the government is not rendering any actual service to the Gambian people or the port, but is merely collecting revenue.
He highlighted that the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) and existing shipping lines already possess the technology to track cargo efficiently.
“Even an agent who started the job yesterday can track his container by himself. There is no need for a private company to charge us for something we already do,” Bojang added.
The association revealed the current fee structure being imposed on imports and exports, which they claim adds an unnecessary layer of “double payment” for services already covered by the GRA.
He stated that the previous fee was 40ft Container $210, 20ft but now new fee is 40 feet $170, 20 feet Container $85, Vehicles $40, Bulk Cargo $0.25 (per unit) and Exports $10
Bojang pointed out that while electronic tracking exists in neighbouring Senegal, it is managed by the government (Customs). He questioned why a private entity is being prioritised over the GRA, which already operates a paid tracking system.
“We are better off with the GRA handling the tracking and paying that amount to the government, rather than a private company where we don’t know where the money is going,” Bojang emphasised.
The association warned that this standoff is a battle over the national cost of living. They cited three primary concerns that the additional fees will be passed to importers and, ultimately, to Gambian consumers which caused inflation, the risk of traders redirecting shipments to neighbouring ports, stripping The Gambia of revenue and higher prices for basic commodities in markets.
The strike has already disrupted the flow of containers as we observed during the press briefing at the port, cargo clearance has slowed to a crawl, and uncertainty continues to grow within the business community.
While government authorities have yet to issue an official statement, pressure is mounting for a sit-down meeting to renegotiate the fee structure. The clearing agents remain firm: they will not resume normal operations until the “unfair” charges are suspended and a transparent review of port operations is conducted.
“We are the people representing the brokers,” Bojang concluded. “And we say no.”
Some members who spoke on the sidelines alleged that the private company is operating in the interest of a few individuals in the government having percentages. He stated that the company is owned by a Indian.
