1 Comment
The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) has broken silence on the issue of a large shipment of cocaine alleged to have came from Sierra Leone, was caught in Manchester.
The news was published by the Manchester Evening News and captioned: “The enormous shipment of cocain from Sierra Leone destined for an industrial estate in Wigan”.
The publication alleged that sometime in August, 2022 a consignment of class ‘A’ goods (cocaine) was shipped from Sierra Leone, adding that nine (9) suspects (non-Sierra Leoneans) were arrested and seven (7) arraigned before a Court in the United Kingdom.
The Management of SLPHA frowned at such publication and highlighted their views on the said matter.
Firstly, the SLPHA noted that it is a reputable member of many International Ports Organisations that are governed by defined rules and regulations regarding methods of seeking or addressing high standards in port operations.
Some of the organizations they mentioned includes the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Association for Ports and Harbours (IAPH) and Ports Management Association for West and Central Africa (PMAWCA).
The SLPHA stated that they have NOT received any Official Report of the aforesaid allegation from any International Ports Organisation or the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, noting that even the export records presented to them for the period under review show that the Port of Freetown did not export flour (within which the said cocaine consignment was included) as claimed by the publication.
The SLPHA furthered that they have engaged the leadership of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) and other relevant security establishments for a prompt investigation into the veracity of the said allegation.
It went on to assure the public that the Port of Freetown is a securitized and safe Port, recognized within the subregion as one of the most compliant Ports in the enforcement of international conventions in the maritime domain.
For instance, it said on two consecutive occasions, the Port of Freetown has been awarded the ‘Best Port in Import and Export Traffic Growth in the Africa Sub-region’ in the 6th and 7th Editions of the Africa Ports Awards Ceremonies held in Luanda, Angola in 2022 and in Lagos, Nigeria in 2023 respectively.
The Management of SLPHA concludively assured the public that it remains committed to collaborate with all the relevant local and international stakeholders in ensuring a drug-free port.
This is why as a nation we need to becareful of our dealings with other partners because some may want to damage the reputation of this blessed nation, please (slpha) be vigilant for the good of our nation and generation yet unborn .