700 staff give GPA 28-day ultimatum over disputes with Alport Banjul
They have delivered a signed petition to management expressing dissatisfaction with the transfer and raising concerns that agreed staff welfare provisions have not been fulfilled since the transition. Adama Jatta, the president of the staff association said key leadership roles including head of Human Resources and Deputy Chief Executive Officer positions with substantive decision-making authority were promised to Gambian nationals. According to her, these commitments have not been adequately fulfilled. "These include concerns over salary payments, handling of sick leave, lack of a clear 2026 budget framework, absence of promotion and succession plans for Gambian employees, and restrictions on staff loans and benefits," she noted. She further underscored that additional concerns raised include the failure to implement the State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) salary structure, lack of comprehensive HR policies, and reported threats of salary deductions affecting staff pursuing local studies. She emphasised that the transfer process was incomplete at the time of implementation, leaving employees to bear the consequences of unresolved administrative and contractual issues. She called for the full transfer of all human resource responsibilities, including salary payments, back to GPA, or a complete reversal of their transfer to Alport. On pending resolution, she stated they will only take operational instructions from Alport, forgo overtime payments, and restrict their work to the statutory 48-hour work week as stipulated under the Labour Act 2023. She explained that no written assurances will be accepted, insisting only full implementation of all agreed terms within the notice period. The petition has been copied to the Office of the President, the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MOWTI), the SOE Commission, the National Assembly, and the Department of Labour. The workers warned that failure to meet their demands within the 28-day ultimatum will result in a sit-down strike, potentially disrupting port operations. Ousman Jobarteh, the managing director of Gambia Port Authority (GPA), received the petition and he reaffirmed his office’s commitment to addressing the welfare of the staff.
Black News 
They have delivered a signed petition to management expressing dissatisfaction with the transfer and raising concerns that agreed staff welfare provisions have not been fulfilled since the transition.
Adama Jatta, the president of the staff association said key leadership roles including head of Human Resources and Deputy Chief Executive Officer positions with substantive decision-making authority were promised to Gambian nationals.
According to her, these commitments have not been adequately fulfilled.
"These include concerns over salary payments, handling of sick leave, lack of a clear 2026 budget framework, absence of promotion and succession plans for Gambian employees, and restrictions on staff loans and benefits," she noted.
She further underscored that additional concerns raised include the failure to implement the State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) salary structure, lack of comprehensive HR policies, and reported threats of salary deductions affecting staff pursuing local studies.
She emphasised that the transfer process was incomplete at the time of implementation, leaving employees to bear the consequences of unresolved administrative and contractual issues.
She called for the full transfer of all human resource responsibilities, including salary payments, back to GPA, or a complete reversal of their transfer to Alport.
On pending resolution, she stated they will only take operational instructions from Alport, forgo overtime payments, and restrict their work to the statutory 48-hour work week as stipulated under the Labour Act 2023.
She explained that no written assurances will be accepted, insisting only full implementation of all agreed terms within the notice period.
The petition has been copied to the Office of the President, the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MOWTI), the SOE Commission, the National Assembly, and the Department of Labour.
The workers warned that failure to meet their demands within the 28-day ultimatum will result in a sit-down strike, potentially disrupting port operations.
Ousman Jobarteh, the managing director of Gambia Port Authority (GPA), received the petition and he reaffirmed his office’s commitment to addressing the welfare of the staff.
