The Sierra Leone Labour Congress has called on government to urgently honour its commitments to support the construction of a new port facility at Kent, warning that worsening congestion at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay is crippling workers, businesses and the wider economy.
The demand came after a high-level delegation from the Congress toured the private port project on the Kent Peninsula this week. The facility is being developed by local businessman Gento and is being positioned as a critical alternative to the capital’s overstretched main seaport. Leading the visit, Labour Congress President Mohamed Sallieu Bangura described conditions at Water Quay as “an emergency.”
“The congestion is affecting productivity and livelihoods,” Bangura said during the tour. “An alternative port like the one under construction in Kent will help practically address these challenges.”
According to Bangura, port staff are facing long working hours, early reporting times and late departures due to operational bottlenecks. Importers and traders, he added, are contending with prolonged waiting periods to clear consignments, with delays in cargo handling becoming routine.
Located in central Freetown, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay handles the bulk of Sierra Leone’s maritime trade. For years, shipping and logistics stakeholders have flagged capacity constraints, limited berthing space and delays driven by rising cargo volumes.
“The situation requires urgent attention,” Bangura said. “Supporting alternatives like Kent is one step in the right direction.”
The Labour Congress said government backing is essential to keep the Kent project on track and to unlock its economic benefits. Bangura stressed that the issue extends beyond private business interests.
“This is not just about business interests,” he said. “It is about jobs, efficiency, and national development.”
The union has previously highlighted the employment potential of the Kent port. During May Day engagements earlier this year, it argued the project could generate direct and indirect jobs for young people in coastal communities through construction, logistics, transport and ancillary services.
Labour representatives say such infrastructure investments are vital amid high youth unemployment and rising living costs, and should be prioritised for their labour absorption capacity.
Members of Parliament have also raised port congestion in parliamentary sittings, calling for an enabling environment for private investment in port infrastructure outside the capital’s congested waterfront.
Lawmakers have pointed to the Kent project specifically as a facility that could complement existing infrastructure and improve trade efficiency.
The Congress said its visit to Kent is part of broader efforts to push for solutions that improve working conditions and the flow of goods. Without immediate intervention, it warned, continued strain on Freetown’s port facilities will have wider implications for trade and consumer prices.
For now, pressure continues to build at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, with stakeholders warning that inefficiencies risk rippling through supply chains nationwide.