The ongoing ferries crisis has been met with frustration by Gambians, who have endured significant difficulties due to the absence of ferries on the crucial Banjul-Barra crossing route.
While citizens have urged the government to find a lasting solution, many are outraged by the inefficiency and frequent breakdowns of the ferries without any meaningful efforts to address the situation.
Following Friday’s engine failure, which left thousands stranded, the Kanilai ferry remains stuck in the mud after barely 96 hours, with passengers forced to leave their vehicles behind.
                         ads   Â
Despite the severity of the situation, there has been no explanation provided regarding efforts to free the ferry from the mud and allow passengers to retrieve their vehicles.
The incident has left passengers frustrated, with Mustapha Marong, a former Justice Minister, expressing dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation. Marong recounted being left unattended for hours on the ferry, enduring deplorable conditions overnight.
“Stranded passengers were rescued under very risky circumstances, and I refused to take that risk, leading to me spending the night in such conditions. The mosquitoes were a real nuisance, and the food provided was of poor quality. It’s misleading for the government or any responsible agency to claim that all passengers were safely evacuated. I was there, and I can attest to the inaccuracies in their statements,” Marong stated.
Appearing on Eye Africa TV, Mr. Burr Touray, Senior PR Manager at the ferries, attributed the crisis to negligence, describing a pervasive “I do not care” attitude among staff.
Touray acknowledged the previous MD, Gibba, for his efforts but lamented that the ferries’ service has stagnated over the past several years under different management.
“The Kunta Kinta ferry has not undergone dry dock maintenance for seven years since its procurement. Negligence and an ‘I do not care’ attitude are prevalent here, tarnishing our future. Despite these issues, the management seems unwilling to take necessary action. The GPA only rewards sycophants and sidelines competent staff who speak the truth,” Touray alleged.
He further criticized the handling of maintenance, claiming that only four engines have arrived in the country for the Kunta Kinteh ferry, with uncertainty surrounding the arrival of the remaining three.
Senior PR Manager Blames Current Ferries Crisis on Negligence
“The current plan to allocate three engines for each ferry and keep one in reserve is inadequate and unsustainable,” he argued.
Touray also highlighted systemic issues at the ferries, including misplaced priorities regarding engineer roles and inadequate maintenance practices.
“The current system, if unchanged, will render any new ferries ineffective. Engineers should be hands-on, not confined to office spaces. However, we see engineers wearing suits and ties here, which is unheard of elsewhere,” he emphasized.
President Adama Barrow visited the shipyard to apologize to Gambians for the crisis, stating that it was not their intention.
Shortly after the President’s departure, it was reported that four top members of the ferries service were summoned for questioning at the police headquarters.
Meanwhile, some individuals have expressed dissatisfaction with General Manager Abdoulie Tambedou, accusing him of leaving the institution in a crisis to go on Umrah at Mecca, which they deemed unprofessional.