Hon. Darboe Disappointed Kanilai Ferry Commissioning Pushed to April

Kanilai Ferry © Gambia Ferry Services

By Edward Francis Dalliah

The Member of Parliament for Upper Niumi, Hon. Omar Darboe, was left disappointed on Wednesday, 19th March 2025, after the Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, Hon. Ebrima Sillah, informed the Assembly that the Kanilai Ferry would no longer be commissioned in March, as initially anticipated, but instead in April.

The Minister, responding to a question from the Member for Sanimentereng, Hon. Fatou Cham, during the first oral question and answer session of the year, explained that his ministry remained “hopeful that by the second week of April Kanilai [Ferry] will be operational; that is definitely our target.”

Reacting to this update, Hon. Darboe asked, “Hon. Minister, we were hopeful that the Kanilai Ferry would start operation before the Koriteh prayer. Why the delay for another extract two weeks?”

In response, Minister Sillah explained that the delay was due to issues with the vessel transporting the ferry’s propulsion system to The Gambia. He mentioned that the vessel is expected to arrive on 24th March 2025. However, due to the queuing system at the Banjul Port, it will take an additional two to three days for the propulsion system to be offloaded, delaying the commencement of engineering work. As a result, the ferry’s return is now expected by the second week of April.

Hon. Omar Darboe in white © The Gambia National Assembly

Askanwi has been closely following the ferry’s maintenance since last year, with several publications tracking its progress. One of these publications included a promise tracker on the Minister's promise for the Kanilai Ferry's return, which was not fulfilled.

The Kanilai Ferry has been out of service for nearly a year after breaking down on 12th April 2024, while on its way to Barra with passengers, goods, and vehicles. Originally commissioned in 2005, the ferry had been operating on the Banjul-Barra route but began experiencing mechanical failures due to years of operation without sufficient maintenance. These issues eventually led to the breakdown last year.

At the Mansa Kunda Town Hall Engagement on 31st May 2024, Hon. Sillah had promised that the ferry would be commissioned within 18 weeks. This commitment was further reinforced by a post on the official Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure (MoTWI) Facebook page, which stated: “The Kanilai Ferry is expected to be back in the waters offering ferry services to the public in September 2024.” However, this promise was not met, leading to another statement by the Managing Director of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), Mr. Ousman Jobarteh, who informed Askanwi that the Kanilai Ferry would return to service in March 2025.

In anticipation of the ferry’s return, President Adama Barrow visited the Banjul Shipyard during a routine inspection of government projects in January. Speaking to the media, the President explained that when the ferry broke down, authorities had initially planned to complete its maintenance within three months. However, once engineers began the work, it became clear that the repairs would take longer than expected.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure provided an update on Facebook, revealing that most of the work on the ferry had been completed. According to the post, “The new look of the re-engineered Kanilai Ferry is waiting to be launched off the Banjul Shipyard on Wednesday, 5th March 2025.” However, the launch did not mark the official commissioning, as some final work was still pending.

The General Manager of The Gambia Ferry Services, Mr. Abdoulie Tambedou, emphasised that although the ferry would be launched at the Banjul Shipyard, additional work remained. He stated, “We will complete the alignment of the engines and the propulsion system and wait for SRPs, including the propellers, which we expect to receive in the next three weeks. Once they are received, the ferry will be back in service by the end of this month or early next month.”

But with delays, the ferry’s return to service has left many disappointed, especially those who were hopeful for its operation before key events like the Koriteh prayer. While the Ministry of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure remains optimistic that the ferry will be operational by the second week of April, the public continues to await its return, and it remains to be seen whether the ferry will meet the revised timeline or if further setbacks will arise.