Ports Authority  gains prominence on Strategic Development

The Sierra Leone Ports Authority, which happens to be the landlord seaport, providing tenancy to companies like Freetown Terminal and others, is steadily making progress under the astute leadership of its General Manager, Dr. Abdulai Fofana and his Deputy, Yakuba Askia Bio.

Since the appointment of these two people to manage the operations of SLPA, life for workers at the quay is far better off than what was inherited. Today, SLPA is on the verge of expansion and many opportunities have been created to ease challenges and difficulties that had been in existence for the clearing of goods imported into the country. There are those who believe that President Bio is said to have enjoyed the sanity of the SLPA, as a result of the appointment made in that sector. Dr. Fofana, according to our findings, has been living in UK for years and only came to Sierra Leone when the Bio government came to power. That does not necessarily mean he has not played any part in helping the situation. But he is succeeding today because he has a deputy general manager in the person of Yankuba Askia Bio, who had worked at the quay for some years before he was appointed to serve as deputy general manager at SLPA. Yankuba Bio has also worked at Addax, where he proved his mettle until he left and then secured another job at Bollore / Freetown Terminal. Today, the young and energetic deputy general manager is not only giving respite to his boss, Dr. Fofana, but is seen complementing him to the extent that sanity now prevails at Water Quay. Water Quay is a place difficult to manage. Past record of that sector has not been anything good to write home about. During the days of late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, he once said, the SLPA management at the time was unable to create the requisite opportunities expected of them by the central government, as all the government was getting was deficit. Kabbah even went further to explain that it came to some point in time that the central government, instead of receiving from SLPA, was spending more money than what the institution was generating, hence the need for urgent action to salvage that situation. It was as a result of those challenges that the previous APC government went into an agreement with Bollore. Before the arrival of Bollore, working tools at the quay was a serious challenge that customers and importers were unable to clear their goods on time. Today, the SLPA continues to provide professional services as landlord and things have gone better. It is understood that the strategy implemented by the Deputy General Manager Yankuba Askia Bio, has earned the SLPA more prominence in terms of strategic planning and development. Yankuba Askia Bio is a very good listener, down to earth and accommodating to all and sundry. He does not believe in antagonising people, as his records in all his places of work have been written in the good books of life. SLPA today is proud of providing quality representation; hence the reason why so many strike actions no longer gain prominence.   Working tools to hand lift containers is no longer a problem, as Bollore/Freetown Terminal is doing extremely well in that area.

Those who know Askia Bio will tell you he is a man of peace, hard working, committed and dedicated to his service.