SLNSA Applauded by Finance Ministry
By Mohamed Sankoh
Following the 2026 ongoing bilateral budget discussions organized by the Ministry of Finance for Ministries Department and Agencies MDAs including parastatals and state-owned enterprise, the Ministry of Finance experts in budget officers presided over the budget discussions, has commended and praised the leadership of the Sierra Leone National Shipping Agency SLNSA for a comprehensive presentation that attracts revenue generation and align it’s strategic deliverables to the big five game changers especially job creation.
The Ministry officers assured the agency that they will report the good performance exhibited by the leadership of the agency. The Ministry officers continue that as part of transformation from a company to an agency should be thinking of raising more revenue thereby giving dividend to government and support it’s implementation projects, while they advised the agency to be mindful of the contract or partnership Joint Venture they will be entering into.The Ministry officials further maintain that, most times government institutions signed partnerships or contracts that did not yielded benefit to the government and the people.
However, Civil Society Organisations CSOs comprises of Non-state Actors NSA District Budget Oversight Committee DBOCs and the media urged the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries to comply with the 2025 Sierra Leone National Shipping Act and to be timely in payment of debts to the agency.
Others emphasized the need for the agency to align its activities with the Big Five Game Changers especially job creation which according to them most young people are left without employment opportunities.
In his presentation, the Director General Sierra Leone National Shipping Agency, Mustapha Mark Lissa outlined the agency’s challenges including limited MDAs compliance with section 12- b of the SLNSA Act of 2025, delayed in payments of for government consignments from various MDAs and week regulator environment for clearing and forwarding with shipping lines operating in Sierra Leone. He said many local consignees floating in the sector without proper regulatory mechanisms.
The DG continue that, one of its way forward is to ensure a strategic repositioning of the shipping services thereby focusing on the mining companies offshore -oil and mineral resources, strengthen the financial management environment and restore staff capacity building. He said securing international business partners for freight-forwarding including charted of vessels and to reduce government expenditure on clearing and demourage cost as well as other board charges.
Mr. Lissa concluded by disclosing that the agency will be organizing a seminar and its partners to educate MDAs on the effectiveness and planning of importing government consignments, adding that most MDAs did not aware about their goods at the port. He said SLNSA has been reposition for domestic revenue mobilization to be able to start paying dividend by the end of 2026.
The Director of Finance, SLNSA Alpha Abdulai Sesay said the 2025 shipping Act is bringing new hopes and potentials that makes the agency the sole national carrier of Sierra Leone with the right to perform at its discretion the maritime transportation of 40% of cargo both import and export in and out of Sierra Leone. He said the agency’s transition will not only create revenue generation, but will also create job opportunities. He mentioned the assumptions for the 2025 budget as follows, the payment of 3.8 dollars metric tones per petroleum product by Oil Marketing Companies to the agency and mining companies to comply by the Act thereby increasing the clearing and forwarding customers, empower staff with the right tools to perform efficiently through clear performance indicators.
Mr. Sesay also noted that the agency’s revenue is expected to be around 20% come 2026 and they will continue to strengthen their agency’s relationship with the Petroleum Regulatory Agency and ensure compliance from the OMC, new business promotions and management will ensure a cut-cost policy to ensure value for money and the budget also takes into consideration the entire staff of 72 with a provision of 10% salary increment across the board as cost of living adjustment. He further outlined the budget proposal for 2026 revenue is expected to be 68,950 and expenditure is expected to be at 43 million with an expected profit or surplus to be at 5 million. Mr. Sesay went on to outlined the agency’s sources of income which is from ships agency, clearing and forwarding fees, residential fees. While the C& F department is expected to account for 1 million 700 which includes both the air-freight and sea freight. The shipping department is projected to be 9 million 900, the DF stated.
