By Arret Jatta
Hundreds of Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) workers now transferred to Alport Banjul under a concession agreement yesterday staged a protest over alleged poor working condition, and demanding full implementation of their transfer conditions within 28 days, to avoid a sit-down strike.
Led by their staff association, the workers presented a signed petition to the GPA management, expressing dissatisfaction with their new working conditions and alleging that key welfare provisions agreed upon before the transfer has not been fulfilled.
The petition, read by the president of the staff association, Adama Jatta, outlined a series of grievances ranging from salary delays to lack of career progression and unmet contractual promises.
“We respectfully state that our transfer was effected on the clear understanding that all staff shall maintain the same terms and conditions of service as existed under GPA,” she said.
According to the workers, assurances were given that senior roles such as Head of Human Resources and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Alport would be held by Gambians with full decision-making powers. However, they claimed this has not been implemented.
The petition further cited alleged irregular salary payments, stoppage of salaries for sick staff without due process, and delays in implementing the 2026 budget. The workers also raised concerns about stalled promotions, lack of a clear succession plan, and restrictions on access to loans and other benefits.
They argued that the transition process was incomplete at the time of their transfer, leaving staff to suffer the consequences of gaps in implementation.
“As transferred staff, we request a complete transfer process as formulated in the contract agreement, full disclosure of all matters related to staff, and clarification on all prior agreements,” the petition stated.
Among their key demands, the workers also called for all human resource functions, including salary payments, to be returned to GPA, and for transferred staff to be fully reinstated under GPA while continuing to take operational instructions from Alport.
The workers warned that failure to meet their demands within 28 days would result in a sit-down strike.
In the meantime, they said they would forfeit overtime and restrict their work to the legally required 33 to 48 hours per week in line with the Labour Act 2023.
Speaking to journalists, staff member Sanna Marong said their actions should not be politicised, stressing that many of them are in fact supporters of President Adama Barrow.
“Our staff association has been negotiating for our rights. We support the government, but this is our livelihood. You cannot call us opposition because we are fighting for our rights,” he said.
Marong further alleged that attempts by staff to engage the president had been blocked and called for urgent intervention. He accused Works Minister Ebrima Sillah of not paying attention to their plight.
“We want the government to know that we are working, but we are not happy,” he added.
The petition, which has also been copied to the Office of the President, Ministry of Works, SOE Commission, National Assembly, and Department of Labour, was received and acknowledged by the MD of GPA Ousman Jobarteh.
At the time of reporting, both the GPA and Alport have not commented on the allegations.
