By Mackie M. Jalloh
The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) has reported a steady rise in its financial contribution to the Government of Sierra Leone, transferring a combined US$19 million to the state between 2023 and 2025, as Parliament intensifies scrutiny of the performance of key public institutions.
The figures emerged during an oversight engagement by a Parliamentary Select Committee, which visited the Authority to assess its financial performance, infrastructure development, operational capacity and overall contribution to national development.
The delegation, led by the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma, held discussions with SLPHA management and toured key facilities as lawmakers sought to establish how effectively the institution is delivering on its mandate.
Presenting the Authority’s performance, SLPHA Director General Yankuba Askia Bio told the parliamentary delegation that the institution’s financial transfers to government had increased consistently over the three-year period.
According to figures presented during the engagement, SLPHA transferred US$4 million in 2023, followed by US$7 million in 2024, before reaching US$8 million in 2025.
The figures represent a US$4 million increase between 2023 and 2025 and, according to the Authority, demonstrate its growing role in supporting government revenue and the wider national economy.
Beyond revenue generation, Bio used the engagement to highlight developments within the country’s port infrastructure. He pointed to improvements made to berth facilities, which he said have strengthened the operational capacity of the port and enabled it to accommodate larger vessels.
Among the vessels now able to call at the facility are Panamax ships, a development that could enhance Sierra Leone’s competitiveness within the regional maritime and logistics sector.
The ability to handle larger vessels is particularly significant for a country seeking to strengthen trade infrastructure. Ports serve as critical gateways for imports and exports, and improvements in their capacity can influence the efficiency, cost and speed of moving goods into and out of the country.
The parliamentary visit therefore provided lawmakers with an opportunity to examine not only the Authority’s financial returns but also the infrastructure investments and operational improvements underpinning those results.
During the engagement, members of the committee assessed SLPHA’s productivity, achievements and institutional performance while receiving updates from management on the Authority’s ongoing activities.
Following the presentation, lawmakers commended the management and staff of SLPHA for the progress outlined to them, particularly the reported increase in revenue contributions and improvements in port infrastructure.
However, the committee also identified the importance of public communication and visibility.
Members encouraged SLPHA management to communicate its programmes, activities and achievements more consistently to the public. They noted that stronger communication would enable citizens to better understand the role of the Ports and Harbours Authority and appreciate how its operations contribute to national development.
The call places public accountability alongside financial performance as an important element of institutional effectiveness.
For a major public institution responsible for critical maritime infrastructure, demonstrating results is only one part of the equation. Communicating those results clearly can also strengthen public confidence and ensure that citizens understand how public assets and institutions are contributing to the economy.
The oversight engagement continued beyond the boardroom, with the parliamentary delegation touring various port facilities to observe operations and infrastructure developments firsthand.
The lawmakers also inspected the proposed sites for the Kent and Banana Island Seaports, projects that could potentially broaden Sierra Leone’s maritime infrastructure and create additional opportunities for trade, investment and economic activity.
The inspection of the proposed seaport locations added another dimension to the parliamentary assessment, shifting attention from SLPHA’s current performance to the country’s future port development ambitions.
The engagement forms part of Parliament’s constitutional oversight responsibility over public institutions and comes at a time when government continues to place emphasis on revenue mobilization, institutional efficiency and infrastructure development.
For SLPHA, the reported increase in government transfers from US$4 million in 2023 to US$8 million in 2025, coupled with improvements to berth facilities and the capacity to receive larger vessels, provides a picture of an institution seeking to strengthen both its commercial and developmental role.
The parliamentary review has consequently highlighted two interconnected priorities: ensuring that the Authority continues to generate meaningful revenue for the state while investing in infrastructure and operational capacity capable of supporting Sierra Leone’s long-term trade ambitions.
With Parliament calling for greater public communication and SLPHA continuing to pursue infrastructure and efficiency improvements, the Authority’s next challenge will be to sustain the reported growth while demonstrating that improved revenue and port capacity translate into broader economic benefits for Sierra Leone.
