The Director General of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA), Yankuba Askia Bio, recently clarified the responsibilities of institutions operating at the Port of Freetown. He made the clarification during a media engagement with port stakeholders at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay on Wednesday, 23 September 2026. The engagement aimed to address recent developments in port operations, cargo clearance, and the Authority’s responsibilities under the current landlord port model.
Bio attributed the recent improvement in cargo movement at the Port of Freetown to coordinated interventions by SLPHA and other stakeholders involved in the cargo clearance chain. He said the combined efforts of SLPHA, the National Revenue Authority’s Customs and Excise Department, Freetown Terminal Limited (FTL), Nectar Sierra Leone Bulk Terminal (NSBT), and other port stakeholders had significantly reduced congestion at the port. As a result, the Port of Freetown has been removed from the list of congested ports in Africa.
The SLPHA boss encouraged importers and cargo owners with consignments awaiting clearance to take advantage of the available space and complete the necessary procedures to collect their goods. He also disclosed that plans were underway to introduce a single-window system for cargo clearance and forwarding, with implementation expected to begin in March 2027. The digital system will allow users to complete a significant part of the clearance process electronically, reducing the need to move physically between different offices.
Bio explained the Authority’s responsibilities under the landlord port model, which include regulation, supervision, infrastructure, oversight, safety, and security compliance, as well as creating an enabling environment for concessionaires and other operators. He stressed that SLPHA does not directly undertake clearing and forwarding activities at the Port of Freetown, noting that several institutions and private-sector operators have distinct responsibilities within the cargo clearance process.
Bio rejected an online publication alleging that he had regularly visited the port at midnight between 2022 and 2025, halted operations, and personally facilitated cargo clearance outside established procedures with the assistance of military personnel. Describing the allegation as untrue, Bio pointed out that he became Director General of SLPHA in October 2023 and was therefore not serving in that position in 2022. Deputy Commissioner Kpana Conteh of the NRA Customs and Excise Department and other port stakeholders present supported Bio’s position.
The stakeholders reaffirmed the Port of Freetown’s zero-tolerance position on illegal drugs and other maritime crimes. They stressed the importance of allowing relevant security and law-enforcement agencies to handle suspicious cargo identified through established checks and due-diligence procedures. The engagement ended with a renewed call for stronger cooperation between the media and the port community.
Bio reaffirmed SLPHA’s commitment to transparency, improved service delivery, and continued engagement with journalists. He noted that the port community maintains an open-door policy through its Media and Public Relations Unit under the Company Secretary’s Department. The SLPHA boss urged journalists to exercise greater diligence when reporting on port operations and other matters of national economic importance.
Key points
- SLPHA Director General Yankuba Bio clarifies port operations and urges fact-based reporting.
- The Port of Freetown has been removed from the list of congested ports in Africa due to coordinated interventions by SLPHA and other stakeholders.
- SLPHA plans to introduce a single-window system for cargo clearance and forwarding in March 2027.
