Gento Group Updates Parliament On Banana Island Port Project

The Transport and Aviation Committee of Parliament yesterday summoned Gento Group of Companies on the proposed Banana Island Port Project and logistic hub in Parliament.
Mohamed Gento Kamara, Chief Executive Officer of Gento Group explained that they were invited by the Transport and Aviation Committee to give an overview of the project.
He noted that they were given a concession to construct, own and operate a seaport in Banana Island and logistic hub at Kent, pointing out that the agreement has been ratified by Parliament.
“We are completing the feasibility study and while the study is being done a new idea of integrating the rail from the mines to the port emerged,” he said.
Dr. Obai Kargbo, Ports Manager of the Project said that the island is located very close to the ocean.
“It was the same for proximity and depth that this island was used as a hub of transatlantic shipment,” he said, adding that the port is deeper, exceeding 22 meters comparing to other ports including the Lomé Port which has 18 meters depth.
He said that proximity has advantage to proper sailing point as it is going to be an ocean port and has shorter sailing time.
He said that nature is on our side as wave and tidal condition which might affect other ports is not with this port because the Banana Island has natural wave conditions which is as a result of the shape of the island.
He added that another advantage is that it is an oceanic port, one might have an environment that you could have a larger turning basin which can accommodate the largest vessels that ply the ocean.
He highlighted that regional ports have been turning economy around and cited that Togo transformed itself while Sierra Leone have natural conditions to outdo them.
He added that having a port and rail road will open the country as a whole to massive investment.
CEO, Gento said that they now on road show, pointing that Govt owned 10% while they own 90%
He explained that the road show is to get financier to do the port and to have port operators and shipping lines to have a buy in. “Everything is going fine and we going to do international road show. One or two contacted us, pointing the commercial viability of the project,” he said.
He explained that the feasibility study by NBTS have come up with a price of $2.7B.
He added that the project will improve the GDP of Sierra Leone and that the Banana Island project will create avenue for revenue base of the country.
He said that the rail project will be an addendum to the existing Govt.
Members of Parliament lauded the project, noting that it is one the agreements that received by-partisan support.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Dixon Roger said that they do not just have the support of the committee but they asked government at every level to support and make the project a success.