New Ferry (M.V. Murzuk) Commissioned
By Marian Samu

The transport sector in Sierra Leone has been one of the most affected areas during the ten years civil conflict. Government has therefore, over the last few years, been exploring all avenues to once again make this sector a vibrant one; by land, air and sea.

One area that had received great attention is the route between Freetown and Lungi, crossing the Sierra Leone river to get to Lungi in the Port Loko District and other places. Lungi hosts the International Airport that connects Sierra Leone to the rest of the world. In spite of the helicopter service, hovercraft and two other ferries that ply the route, commuters between Freetown and Lungi have faced difficulties from time to time because of inadequate transportation facility on that route.

To address this situation, government had created the enabling environment for greater private sector involvement in the provision of both air and sea transport across to Lungi.

On Friday 29th October, 2004, President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah commissioned the 'M.V. Murzuk Freetown' Ferry at the Government Wharf in Freetown. The Ferry has been made available to Sierra Leone through assistance from the Libyan Head of State, President Muammar Gadaffi.

Giving a brief statement at the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Transport and Communication, Dr. Prince Harding, said the presence of the ferry in Freetown was made possible by the untiring efforts of President Kabbah, who initiated the negotiations for the ferry.

The Ferry will be operated by the Libyan Arab African Investment Company in collaboration with Ampliplex Company which has its headquarters in Malta. Dr. Harding said that government has put in place policies that benefit the people, i.e. policy for investment, creating the enabling environment that gives opportunity to other people to participate in the transport sector, and above all, providing safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the people. He said creating an enabling environment has resulted in healthy competition and consequently in quality of service and performance.

Dr. Harding told his audience that the 'Murzuk Freetown' has entered into the competitive arena as there are already the 'Fanta' ferry, another privately-owned business, and the 'Mahera' ferry, managed under the ministry of transport and communications, a Hovercraft service, and the Sierano ferry which plies the route to Conakry. He also disclosed that they are expecting another ferry from Holland to ply the Freetown-Conakry route. He further disclosed that his Ministry also has plans to register Airlines that will be flying between Freetown and Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the World. Minister Harding said his Ministry is not only trying to provide reliable and affordable transport facility, but also opening up the transport landscape so that people can make a choice.

General Abdul Salam Albougila of the Ampliplex Company, who is leader of the Libyan team, after conveying felicitations from President Gadaffi, said their current venture was made possible through the relationship between President Kabbah and the Libyan leader. Hardship, he said, creates relationships, and that people who want freedom always come together to mend the wounds in their hearts.

General Albougila said their Leader has extended the hand of friendship to the people of Africa, especially Sierra Leone, adding that the ferry is a token of friendship from President Gadaffi to the people of Sierra Leone. The General also disclosed that there was a second boat on its way to arrive by December 2004, and that they intend to undertake numerous projects in Sierra Leone.

He thanked all those who cooperated with them in making this project a success, especially the Ministry of Transport and Communication. 'M.V. Murzuk' has a capacity to carry 450 passengers and 50 vehicles, and has an economy class and a business class, both fully air-conditioned, and a VIP class.

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah narrated how he managed to forge a relationship with the Libyan Leader when he became President in 1996 as a means of finding a route-forward to ending the conflict that had wrecked the country and said he was able to develop a very strong personal relationship with Libya over time. He disclosed that there there are plans on the part of Libya to bring more projects to Sierra Leone, including a water bottling industry so that the people can have jobs to help strengthen our hard-earned peace. He informed the gathering that General Abdul Salam Albougila and his company have offered to sell shares to Sierra Leoneans so that they too could participate in the ownership of the businesses they intend to establish in the country. Leone.

Earlier, at his Hill Station office, the Libyan delegation informed President Kabbah of their plans to build a hotel complex around the peninsula area.

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