AYV News, July 17, 2026
The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) have strengthened their collaboration to improve port efficiency while enhancing national disaster preparedness through coordinated planning and strategic engagement.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a high-level meeting at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown, where the two institutions, led by their respective Directors General, discussed measures to address port congestion alongside the development of critical disaster management infrastructure.
Speaking at the meeting, SLPHA Director General Yankuba Askia Bio said the Port of Freetown is experiencing unprecedented growth in cargo traffic, placing increasing pressure on existing facilities. He disclosed that the Authority has introduced temporary measures to ease congestion, including the use of the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Hastings as a storage facility for empty containers and a holding centre for transit cargo.
According to Mr. Bio, the Hastings facility has significantly contributed to improving port operations while plans for a permanent inland container depot progress.
“We are planning an expansion, but we are only perching at Hastings for now because the land is not ours. As soon as our expansion is completed, we will relocate,” he said.
He further revealed that another Inland Container Depot is currently under construction at Koya, noting that SLPHA will relocate to whichever permanent facility is completed first.
Addressing concerns raised by the NDMA regarding the proximity of the Hastings ICD to the Agency’s proposed Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Mr. Bio proposed a joint site inspection involving officials from the NDMA, the Resilient Urban Sierra Leone Project (RUSLP), and SLPHA.
He explained that the exercise would help all parties assess the size and operational scope of the container depot and determine an appropriate buffer zone between the two facilities.
Mr. Bio stressed that expanding port infrastructure is essential to sustaining Sierra Leone’s growing trade volumes and boosting government revenue.
“The volume of cargo passing through the Port has increased by over 300 percent. We therefore need more space to accommodate the increasing traffic. The more cargo we handle, the more revenue we generate for Government,” he stated.
On his part, NDMA Director General John VandyRogers reflected on the establishment of the Agency in 2020 following the devastating August 14, 2017 mudslide in Freetown, which claimed hundreds of lives and caused widespread destruction.
He said the disaster highlighted the need for Sierra Leone to prioritise disaster prevention, preparedness and risk reduction rather than focusing solely on emergency response.
Mr. Rogers explained that concerns over the Hastings site emerged after reports suggested that shipping containers were being moved onto land designated for the NDMA’s proposed Emergency Operations Centre.
He clarified that the container depot is separate from the Agency’s planned facility but appealed to SLPHA to ensure sufficient distance is maintained between the two developments.
According to him, the proposed Emergency Operations Centre will serve as a critical national hub for disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and emergency response, while also supporting strategic institutions such as the Port during national emergencies.
The meeting ended with both SLPHA and NDMA reaffirming their commitment to sustained dialogue, joint planning and institutional cooperation to ensure that port expansion and disaster management initiatives complement each other in advancing Sierra Leone’s economic resilience and public safety.
