Greenville, Sinoe County – Sinoe County has great potentials to become an engine of economic growth for the country with the level of improvement at Greenville Port that has not been fully functional since the end of the Liberian civil war that lasted for over 14 years.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr – [email protected]
The County is rich in terms of timber, gold, agricultural, and other natural resources but has very little road or basic services infrastructure, something that poses serious challenge to the economy of the county.
However, the Port of Greenville is one of the major means of boosting the economy of the county, but the port has not been fully operational since the early 90s until the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government took over in 2005.
President Sirleaf as part of her dream to see an improved port in Liberia started a vigorous process of rehabilitating the various ports, and the Samuel A. Ross Port in Greenville Sinoe County is one of the ports in Liberia that the current administration has been working to improve.
Due to the deplorable roads leading to the county, the prices of commercial goods have doubled two times the prices in Monrovia and other counties around Monrovia, the Capital of Liberia.
As a means of easing the tension and improving the economy of the southeast, citizens of the Sinoe strongly believe the port of Greenville can help their struggling economy by attracting business people to the county through the port.
Joyous citizens
The Port of Greenville was a scene of joy when residents and officials of the county gathered to receive two tug boats purchased by the National Port Authority headed by Mr. David Williams.
The procurement of the boats is in fulfillment of President Sirleaf’s development agenda and modernization plan to transform the Liberian sea sector thereby making the National Port Authority to become a premier port in order to boost economic activities, advance commerce and international trade.
Citizens of the county could not hold their joy as they assembled at the port over the weekend along with county officials to receive the two tug boats that were purchased by the NPA for the port’s operations.
The County citizens believe that the procurement of the boats is a great sign of moving forward. Residents from all districts of the county represented by their officials turnout to receive the boats.
Jerry Swen, a paramount Chief of Jaedae Jaedepo described the tug boats as a dream to mainly the young people in the county. He said with the arrival of the boats, it means that the county will no longer depend on the deplorable roads for goods to enter the county.
“My son I am over plus happy to see tug boats at our port here, this means our business people will now bring in their goods by sea as the port is active,” he expressed with smiles on the face.
Another elder spotted on the scene thanked the Management of the National Port Authority for its leadership role shown at the Greenville Port.
Elder Joseph Dweh of Dugbeh River District said words were inadequate to express as he showered praises on the President and NPA team for the boats.
“I am happy and don’t even know what to say, if I had my own way I could carry the President and the NPA Manager around the whole Sinoe County on my back.”
“I am happy because our port is opening, I am happy because our economy will boom once more when the port starts full operation.”
“I am happy because our young folks will have jobs in the county when the economy opens through the port. We the elders of this county will ensure that the facilities are well taken care of,” he promised.
Prosperous Brown, Superintendent of Sinoe County welcomed the NPA delegation headed by Mr. Williams and other county officials for gracing the occasion.
Brown joined others by showering praises on the management team of the NPA and the Liberian leader for making the port fully functional this time, saying, when the port is functional it will not only benefit Sinoe but the entire Southeastern region.
“We say thanks to you Mr. David Williams, the NPA Managing Director for having the first thought of buying the boats especially for Greenville port. “
“I also on behalf of the county want to say thank you to her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her dream in rehabilitating the port of Greenville,” he noted.
For his part, the Managing Director of the Samuel Alfred Ross Port in Greenville, Daffa Wiles welcomed the boats and promised to maintain them with care.
Wiles called on the people of Sinoe to help in the process of taking care of the facilities, saying, Sinoe County is a direct beneficiary of the boats before extending to other counties in the region.
“We will do our best to manage and take care of these facilities of the port. I call on you all to join the port management in protecting these facilities,” he pleaded.
Hold your joy
The Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), Williams called on the people of Sinoe to hold their joy until the boats are commissioned by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
He said in addition to the two tug boats, the NPA is expecting a patrol and a pallor boats for the county that are expected to be commissioned by the President as well.
“My dear people, your please hold your peace and happiness, what you see here today is not an official program, we are only here to receive the boats.
The President of the Republic of Liberia will come here in October to commission these boats, before then, we are expecting the arrival of a pallor boat and a patrol boat to be added on the two tug boats for Sinoe County, during that ceremony everyone will have the opportunity to make remarks,” he said.
In addition to these developments and prospects at the Port of Greenville, Golden Veroulm Liberia Limited, a multi-million Oil Palm Concession has begun the construction of a Mini mill and Bulking Station for Crude Palm Oil (CPO), shipment through the Port.
When completed the facility and equipment will be used to spur much needed economic activities in the region.
Before the arrival of the NPA team in the county, the arrival of the tug boats news have spread in the entire county thus prompting the citizens of the county to gather in large number to welcome the NPA team in the county.
Without the knowledge of the NPA team, residents of the county organized a formal program in honor of the Managing Director David Williams.
On March 22, 2016, a signing ceremony took place at the National Port Authority (NPA) head office at the Freeport of Monrovia for several procurable items under the terms and conditions of the Kuwaiti Loan for the rehabilitation of the Greenville Port in Sinoe County.
In 2012, the NPA management through the Government of Liberia entered into a loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund for the rehabilitation of the Port of Greenville in Sinoe County.
Under the terms of that loan agreement, funding was allocated for the following items: Navigational Aids, Marine Crafts, and Cargo Handling Equipment, container forklift and log loaders.
The management of the National Port Authority considers maintenances of tug as a top priority to keep the port to enhance operations- increase throughput; increase tax revenue to government as well as boost to the regional economy in the southeast and beyond.
The Samuel Alfred Ross Port of Greenville was planned and supervised by Prof. Dr. Agaez Bremen and built by Lenz-bau August Prien Hamburg Contractors. It was officially opened on December 11, 1964 by the late President William V. S. Tubman.
The Port of Greenville, as one of the ports to be rehabilitated, is 8-9 meters below chart datum is located in Sinoe County, the Southeastern part of Liberia. It forms part of the National Port Authority and is the 3rd largest Port in Liberia in terms of income generation and traffic.
It is protected by a 400 meters long breakwater and on its inner side by two quays. It has the ability to match the Port of Buchanan in the number of vessels calling at the Port and income generation.
The Port of Greenville is a major facility for the exportation of logs, with several logging agreements including iron ore and oil palm concessions.
The port rehabilitation will enhance trade and commerce which will lead to financial support to National Budget.t
Prior to arrival of the marine craft, operation at the Port of Greenville was hampered by the lack of basic navigational equipment and general facilities to bring it on par with basic international standard.
But the arrival and subsequent commissioning of the marine craft will now make the port much more efficient in the discharge of its responsibilities. i.e enhanced handling capabilities.
Also, In order to meet the minimum standard set for management of a model Port, the NPA is in the process of seeking Public Private Partnership (PPP) with reputable company/firm for expansion and improved operations at the Port of Greenville.
To achieve this, the Port of Greenville wants to privatize some of its harbour activities by withdrawing from cargo handling operations and marine services incorporated in different concession agreements.
This task can only be accomplished through the expansion and standardization of its facilities in a way that these services can be provided. Currently, access from sea to the Port for smaller vessels is inaccessible to vessels above 15000 DWT, according to the African Harbour Pilot.
Moreover, the approaches to Sinoe Bay are encumbered by numerous dangers and the depths are very irregular.
This makes it dangerous for vessels entering the port from the main sea. This has also quashed the need for public sea transportation from the Port of Greenville.
Based on these necessitates , the NPA, Private Public Partnership (PPP) services will include Rehabilitation of access roads from City of Greenville to the Port of Greenville as well as internal roads within the port; Rehabilitation of wave deflector to topple overtopping waves which occur intermittently over the years.
Construction/rehabilitation of access channel from different directions of the port; Dredging of harbour basin to extend basin area to approximately 12 ha; Removing of ship wrecks – 2 ship wrecks inside the habour basin and one large vessel located in the outlet of Sinoe River
NPA says it remains appreciative to the Kuwaiti Fund for the support in making the Port of Greenville more attractive, most particularly to the government of Liberia for the continued support.