The National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) has joined the mixed views on the shutdown of government’s contract with the Container Tracking Network (CTN) through the National Port Authority and Global Tracking Maritime Solutions (GTMS),
The Union said their input stems from the Managing Director of GTMS, Aminata Bangura, who admitted to Liberian Senate decrying the propaganda from individuals within the government intended to ensure that the company exits the country.
Madam Bangura appeared recently at the Senate’s public hearing after being summoned along with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC), Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the National Port Authority (NPA).
The group stated that Bangura further revealed to the senators that after several engagements the NIC in 2016 embraced the idea of a potential investment in the country, which she said led to a tour of their operations in neighboring Sierra Leone by representatives of the NIC, Ministry of Finance, the Liberia Revenue Authority, Ministry of Commerce and other relevant entities of government, in order to assess their work in that part of the sub-region.
“Following the assessment, Bangura said a contract was entered into between the Liberia government, through the National Port Authority, and the GTMS,” NACSUL noted.
“Bangura at the same underscored the need to support the company’s operation because it is contributing to the post-war development of the country, and assertion that left many Liberians calling on the Senate to maintain GTMS and remove MedTech from Liberia due to the lack of visibility of the company’s work,” the group stated.
“Bangura noted that the company’s contributions are channeled through the NPA, which is solely responsible for the collection of revenue generated through the smooth operations of the International Shipping Port Security (ISPS),” the civil society group revealed.
According to NACSUL, during the Senate hearing on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, Bangura said the company struggled since 2014 under the Sirleaf-led administration and was successfully granted permission through the National Investment Commission to operate its security system to safeguard the port operations in 2018.
She there revealed that based on the contract, GTMS paid an amount of US$1 million to the NPA, including other cooperate social fees which squarely intended for security, lighting and basic requirements for safety at the port.
With respect to the surcharges at the port based on the CTN operation, the MD alluded but registered the company does not benefit revenue from the surcharges rather it is based on their data provided that the custom representatives through LRA determine pricing and other fees.
“However, she acknowledged that her company is willing to reduce fees charged based on collaboration by the relevant entities of government,” NACSUL said in a release issued Wednesday, June 12, 2024.
The NACSUL also revealed that, the Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), Sekou Dukuly, admitted to the legality of the CTN operations at the port, but registered that the current management has initiated a review of the contracts in order to have a deeper understanding of the agreement and at the same time admitted that CTN operations is needed at the port because of the services the company provides.
The release further noted that the LRA Commissioner General, Dorbor Jallah, said the LRA has no idea and is not a party to the GTMS contact, but further in the hearing Commissioner Jallah summersaulted that the LRA is aware of the CTN and that their services are needed.
“In his reaction, Commerce and Industry Minister, Amin Modad raised a red flag about the high fees as the result of the CTN operation at the port, and confessed that he and the LRA Commissioner General have initially told the President to shut down.
Meanwhile, GTMS’ workings in Liberia have been beneficial to Liberia’s business community, increased job opportunities for Liberians, detection of illicit drugs recognition throughout the port systems, and increased Liberia’s revenue generation through the collection of the port management system.
