Promise Tracker: Did Transport Minister Keep Kanilai Ferry 18 Weeks Maintenance Promise?
Hon Ebrima Sillah with his team at Banjul Shipyard (C) MoTWI
By Edward Francis Dalliah
The Banjul-Barra Ferry crossing point is The Gambia’s most frequently used ferry service route. However, in recent years, the route has experienced several disruptions due to breakdowns of the three ferries that ply the route, leaving passengers, goods, and vehicles stranded.
The Kanilai Ferry which has been in service since 2005 is one of the ferries that has suffered a series of breakdowns over the past years with the last occurring on 12th April 2024 while on its way to Barra with passengers, goods, and vehicles onboard. When the Kanilai Ferry was slipped up for maintenance, the Kunta Kinteh Ferry was also under maintenance, meaning that no Ferry was available from 12th April to 10th May 2024.
This prompted a planned protest by three CSOs namely Niumi Hands, National Youth Parliament, and Gambia Participates who in their frustration released a statement calling on the government to “adequately fix the mechanical problems affecting the ferries [with] the immediate restoration of reliable ferry service not beyond the six weeks communicated to the public”.
To ascertain whether the six weeks promise was met, our previous Factcheck interrogated it and reached a verdict which revealed that the Kunta Kinteh Ferry was out of service for 9 weeks and two days instead of the promised six weeks.
During the maiden Mansa Kunda town hall engagement organised by the Ministry of Information on the 31st May 2024, the Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MoTWI) Hon Ebrima Sillah credited the government for the rehabilitation of the Kunta Kinteh Ferry while announcing that “the Kanilai Ferry launched since 2005 is currently slipped up at the Banjul Shipyard for complete reengineering works”.
Claim:
On 24th July 2024, the MoTWI announced on its official Facebook page that “the Kanilai Ferry is expected to [be] back in the waters offering Ferry services to the public in September 2024”.
This claim was preceded by a visit from the Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure Hon Ebrima Sillah to the Banjul Shipyard weeks after his appearance on air during the maiden Mansa Kunda town hall where he announced that the Kanilai Ferry “is currently slipped up at the Banjul Shipyard for complete reengineering works with the replacement of all its four engines, cooling and propulsion systems, these works are contracted to a Dutch company [and will take] ten to twelve weeks delivery, in addition to another six weeks for the installation and commissioning”.
Hon Ebrima Sillah at Town Hall Meeting © GRTS
Factcheck:
According to the Minister’s pronouncement, the full rehabilitation of the Kanilai Ferry and its commissioning will take approximately 18 weeks. Our reporter has been monitoring the progress of the maintenance of the Kanilai Ferry. According to our observation, the Kanilai Ferry is expected to be back in service on 4th September 2024.
Eighteen Weeks Kanilai Rehabilitation Tracker
Our observations show that the ten to twelve weeks identified for the reengineering works which includes the replacement of all four engines, cooling and propulsion systems should have ended on the 23rd of August 2024.
The additional six weeks, which the Minister said were for the installation of the engines and the commissioning of the ferry, should have ended on 4th September 2024. However, as it stands, the timeline has elapsed since 4th September, 2024, and the ferry has not been commissioned nor has the public been updated on its current status.
To ascertain when the Kanilai Ferry will be back in service and its current status, our reporter contacted the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) Managing Director, Mr Ousman Jobarteh who informed our medium that the Kanilai Ferry is expected back in service in March 2025.
According to Mr Jobarteh, the welding works will be completed by the end of November 2024 and thereafter the Kanilai Ferry will be commissioned in March 2025.
Infographic of Kanilai Ferry Maintenance Promise © Askanwi
Verdict:
Based on the information gathered by our reporter, the promise made by the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure that the Kanilai Ferry will be back in service in September 2024 has not been fulfilled.
Promise Failed.
According to the latest information from the GPA MD, the Kanilai Ferry is expected back in service in March 2025.
This Promise Tracker was first published by FactCheckGambia.org in the link. https://factcheckgambia.org/promise-meter-did-transport-minister-kept-kanilai-ferry-18-months-maintenance-promise/
