The Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure has refuted allegations made by United Democratic Party (UDP) leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, asserting that the government has transferred ownership of the Banjul Port to a Turkish company.
In a statement issued following Darboe’s comments at a press conference on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the ministry characterised his allegations as “utterly misleading” and “deliberately crafted to misinform the public.”
“The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure seeks to address a statement made by the Leader of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, during his press conference on Tuesday, 4th March 2025. His claims that The Gambia Government has sold the Port of Banjul to the Turkish company, Albayrak, are entirely misleading.” The Works Ministry stated, “Lawyer Darboe’s statements were not only false but were intentionally designed to mislead his audience, primarily to undermine a business opportunity that is evidently set to enhance Port Service delivery in The Gambia.”
The ministry reiterated that the current negotiations regarding the port concession are being carried out with integrity, driven by a sense of patriotism and dedication to national progress.
“To clarify, and in response to Lawyer Darboe’s inaccurate statements made during his press conference, the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, along with its partners in the Port Concession negotiation, acted with good faith, patriotism, and a deep love for the country,” they stated.
The ministry states that an internationally recognised Transactional Advisory Firm, experienced in managing large-scale infrastructure projects throughout Europe and Africa, has been overseeing the process.
The ministry also took issue with Darboe’s portrayal of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) management, contending that his remarks diminished the competence of the existing leadership.
“In his limited grasp of port operations, Lawyer Darboe offered a diverse and disparaging portrayal of the current management of Gambia Ports Authority, suggesting they are inadequate compared to their predecessors, including those who operated under a dictatorship that exploited the Ports’ resources to oppress and imprison Mr. Darboe,” the ministry stated.
The ministry provided historical context, indicating that the Port of Banjul was a relatively small facility in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with notable growth commencing in 1992. It emphasised that before 2016, the port faced reduced cargo volumes as a result of a smaller population and restricted trade activity.
“At that time, The Gambia’s population was under 700,000, and the import figures until the mid-90s were below 500,000 tonnes, reflecting the growth in population and consumption rate.” Following the establishment of the new government in 2016, there was an unexpected surge in volume, leading to significant congestion at the Port of Banjul, which had previously been relatively quiet. The current GPA Management paid a record dividend to the Government during this period after more than 10 years, beginning with 20 million in 2018 and escalating to 190 million by 2021,” they stated.
