By Edrie Caleb John
Managing Director of the Sierra Leone National Shipping Company (SLNC), Ahmed Saybun Kanu, had informed newsmen that based on the dictate of the 2019 Finance Act, coupled with a cabinet conclusion, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should do clearing at the port through SLNSC, but the sad truth is that, a majority of them are not working with the provision of the Act, thus depriving the institution of the needed revenue to grow.
According to him, the Act provides that SLNSC should have 40% of bulk of all shipment undertaken by all companies operating in Sierra Leone to enable the country secure its own vessels.
He said SLNSC is mandated to undertake clearing and forwarding and that it also serves as the national carrier for the country, to handle a minimum of 40% of inbound and outbound of cargoes.
He said the institution also offers chatter processing for anyone because they have the capacity and that they as well issue out business information for business people to order the required goods into the country.
“Shipping is crucial to every nation because majority of the commodities in the country are travelling through seas, especially in this country where we have natural harbor. So, if we are able to secure our vessel it will create huge impact in Sierra Leone. There is no vessel presently plying the route of West Africa, and the dream of getting a vessel is attainable if only MDAs can collaborate with us,” he noted.
He said they were working tremendously to achieve their goal, adding that his team has coined a slogan “Urgency with precision.”
“Since we took over in 2018 we have conducted staff training for all the staff.”
He said all the marine courses are difficult because they are mostly done online, adding that in 2021 Kingo Mining Company worked in line with the provision of the Act.
He said they faced challenges due to the proliferations of clearing and forwarding agencies, stating that mining companies were breaching the Act and that such can be solve if only government can stand firm to remedy the situation.
