Employees of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), operating under ALPort, the Turkish-Gambian port management partnership, have announced a major protest scheduled for Monday, November 17, 2025, to highlight alleged systemic mistreatment, pay cuts, and labor rights violations that have occurred since the new management regime took effect.
The demonstration, confirmed to The Alkamba Times by multiple GPA staff sources, will commence at 8:00 a.m. outside the GPA headquarters in Banjul and proceed toward key government offices, including the Ministry of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure. Workers say the action is intended to draw urgent public and governmental attention to what they describe as “unfair, discriminatory, and illegal” changes to working conditions.
“ALPort management has slashed our welfare, delayed salaries, and treated Gambian staff like second-class workers,” said one operational employee, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation. “This protest is our last resort to demand accountability and respect.”
Central to the grievances is the consistent delay in salary payments, which staff say routinely violates GPA service rules requiring disbursement by the 25th of each month. “Families are suffering. Rent, school fees, food – everything is delayed because management refuses to honor the rules,” another worker told TAT.
The suspension of all staff loan facilities – previously a vital financial lifeline – has compounded the hardship. Employees report that the benefit was abruptly halted without consultation or explanation, leaving many unable to access emergency funds or plan long-term expenses.
A controversial bank registration policy has further inflamed tensions. Staff allege they were coerced into opening accounts with FBN, Vista, and Zenith Bank, with compliance tied directly to salary processing. “They told us: no new bank account, no salary,” one employee claimed. “This is financial blackmail. Our personal data is being used as leverage without consent.”
Perhaps the most explosive allegations involve segregation and unequal treatment between Turkish and Gambian personnel. Multiple sources confirm that Turkish staff enjoy exclusive canteen meals and modern restroom facilities, while Gambian workers are relegated to substandard “squatting” toilets and denied comparable welfare provisions. “It’s apartheid in the workplace,” one senior staff member charged. “We do the same heavy labor, but they eat better, rest better, and are treated with respect we’re denied.”
Operational crews also decry extended working hours – from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. – implemented without official memos or overtime pay, in clear breach of labor regulations. “We’re exhausted, but management acts like our time has no value,” a dockworker said.
The protest comes amid mounting calls for intervention from the Ministry of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure, as well as the Department of Labour. Staff are demanding an independent investigation, the restoration of loans, timely salaries, an end to discriminatory practices, and full compliance with GPA service rules and national labor laws.
ALPort and GPA management have not responded to requests for comment as of the time of this publication.
As The Gambia’s primary maritime gateway, the GPA handles over 90% of the nation’s trade volume. Labor unrest at the port poses a risk to disruptions in imports, exports, and supply chains – a concern that has alarmed business leaders and government officials alike.
Monday’s protest marks a critical escalation in a crisis that workers say has been ignored for too long. “We built this port with our sweat,” one staff member declared. “Now we’re fighting to be treated like human beings.”
