The Sierra Leone Labour Congress is urging the government to accelerate work on the Kent Harbour and Logistics Port, saying congestion at Freetown’s main port has become an economic emergency.

SLLC President Mohamed Salieu Bangura made the call Monday, September 7, during a visit by the Congress leadership to the port project in Kent.

The delegation inspected construction progress and assessed the facility’s potential to expand port capacity, support employment and improve the movement of goods.

Bangura said the visit was intended to give the labour movement a firsthand understanding of the project, which he had referenced in his maiden Labour Day address.

Related News

He said he was encouraged by progress at the site but argued that completing the facility has become more urgent as congestion continues to affect the Queen Elizabeth II Quay and surrounding roads.

“Wherever there is congestion, it is an emergency situation and it must be treated urgently,” he said.

Bangura linked the port congestion to delays in transporting containers through densely populated parts of eastern Freetown, saying the movement of heavy-duty trucks has created difficulties for motorists, pedestrians and residents.

He also raised concerns about delays experienced by importers and traders, warning that prolonged waiting times could increase business costs and reduce productivity.

According to Bangura, some goods remain delayed for weeks before reaching their destinations, while workers can spend significant amounts of time traveling between their homes and workplaces because of traffic linked to port activities.

“I spent over an hour travelling to the city centre because of the traffic caused by the congestion at the port,” Mohamed Salieu Bangura said.

The SLLC president said the problem should be viewed not only as a transportation issue but also as a matter affecting employment, workers’ welfare, trade and the wider economy.

“We are concerned about jobs, the economy and the welfare of our members. Therefore, any area where there is congestion is an emergency. We want trade to flow fast,” he stated.

Bangura said the Kent facility could provide additional capacity for traders and importers while reducing pressure on the Queen Elizabeth II Quay. He also pointed to Sierra Leone’s population growth, expanding commercial activity and rising import volumes as reasons for additional port infrastructure.

The labor body also sees the project as a potential source of employment.

SLLC Secretary General Max Conteh said the Congress has followed the development because of its potential to promote local content, create jobs and stimulate businesses around the port.

Conteh said the facility could employ more than 1,000 people and potentially encourage factories and other businesses to establish operations around the project.

“If we don’t have a second port, it will slow down the economy,” Max Conteh warned.

He stressed that the proposed port should complement, rather than replace, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay by increasing Sierra Leone’s overall port capacity.

Conteh also argued that an additional facility could reduce the number of heavy trucks operating around the existing port and ease pressure on Freetown’s roads.

Project developer Mohamed Gento Kamara said the port project is estimated to cost $75 million, with about $30 million already invested and an additional $45 million needed to complete the outstanding work.

Kamara said the project already has substantial machinery and manpower available for construction, meaning additional financing could largely be directed toward completing the remaining infrastructure.

He identified financing as the main obstacle to completion and called for the government to fulfil its agreed commitments to the project.

The Labour Congress has therefore urged the government and other stakeholders to provide the financial, technical, administrative and institutional support needed to move the project toward completion.

The Congress’ intervention comes as concerns over congestion at the country’s main port continue to affect the movement of containers, commercial traffic and workers in Freetown.

The SLLC maintains that expanding port capacity through the Kent project could improve the flow of trade while creating employment and supporting broader economic activity.