The Sierra Leone Labour Congress (SLLC) has described the worsening congestion at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown as a national emergency requiring urgent intervention, warning that the situation is affecting workers, businesses, road users and the wider economy.
The Congress consequently called for the speedy completion of the Kent Harbour and Logistics Port, commonly known as the Gento Port, urging the Government to honour its agreed commitments to the Gento Group and help accelerate construction of the alternative port facility.
The call was made on Monday, September 7, 2026, during a visit by SLLC executives to the project site at Kent. The delegation assessed the progress of construction and examined the port’s potential contribution to trade, employment and economic development.
SLLC President, Mohamed Salieu Bangura, said the visit followed his earlier reference to the project in his maiden Labour Day address.
He maintained that Sierra Leone could not continue relying indefinitely on one main port, especially in the face of population growth, increased business activity and a rising volume of imports.
The SLLC Secretary General therefore appealed to the Government to give the project serious attention and provide the financial, technical, administrative and institutional support required to complete it.
Project developer, Mohamed Gento Kamara, said the Kent Harbour and Logistics Port has come at a critical time, considering the pressure on existing port infrastructure in Sierra Leone and across the wider sub-region.
Mohamed Gento Kamara disclosed that the project is estimated to cost US$75 million, with approximately US$30 million already invested. He said an estimated US$45 million would be required to complete the outstanding work.
According to him, the company already possesses significant machinery and manpower for construction, which could allow additional financing to be directed mainly towards completing the remaining infrastructure.
Mohamed Gento Kamara identified financial constraints as the principal challenge preventing the project from reaching completion and expressed hope that the Government would fulfil its agreed commitments to the development.
The Labour Congress visit has added momentum to calls for urgent measures to address congestion at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay and strengthen Sierra Leone’s trade infrastructure.
With workers, businesses, transport operators and communities increasingly affected by congestion and the movement of heavy container vehicles through Freetown, the SLLC believes that completing the Gento Port could provide additional capacity, improve trade flows, create jobs and stimulate wider economic growth.
For the Labour Congress, developing additional port capacity is no longer merely an infrastructure ambition but an urgent economic necessity requiring decisive action from the Government and other stakeholders.
Related Calabash coverage: Gento Group’s appeal for Government fulfilment of the concession loan agreement and the US$75 million Kent Port project.
