By Robert Kondema Kargbo
Few days ago, an attempted campaign of calumny against the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) surfaced but died down as quickly as it was started because of the good judgment of Mr Yankuba Askia Bio commonly known as “Jada.”
Since the appointment of Mr Yankuba Askia Bio as General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown has been carrying out its operations in a professional manner. He has brought integrity and professionalism to his recent position which has played an instrumental role in the transformative trajectory of the Queen Elizabeth II Quay which, before now, was very frustrating when importers want to clear their goods.
With over 15 years of work experience in Logistics and Ports operations under his professional belt, Mr Yankuba Askia Bio’s leadership style at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay has won him many accolades and acceptability amongst operators, service providers at the Port, and various clearing and forwarding agencies in Sierra Leone.
Mr Yankuba Askia Bio is a man of humble beginnings and determination to succeed in whatever he puts his hand and mind into. He was educated at the Njala University where he did his undergraduate degree in Linguistics/Literature. He later completed a Postgraduate Masters degree in Public Administration. He also darkened the walls of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).
In terms of work experience, he is fit for the current position he holds. He began his professional journey at the Sierra Leone Brewery where he was Sales Supervisor. From there, he was Logistics Supervisor at Bollore Africa Logistics, a subcontractor for the then multi-million dollars London Mining, where he was supervising over 100 Sierra Leoneans from different backgrounds. “His role was pivotal in managing procurement and logistics, integral components of the mining giant’s operations, where he imbibed the core principles of professionalism, diligence, responsibility, and performance”, one local newspaper was quoted to have reported about him.
As Deputy General Manager at the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, his dedication and professionalism were so glaring that when President Julius Maada Bio won the June 24, 2023 presidential election on the first ballot, he thought it fit to appoint him as the substantive General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority because of his proven record.
With Mr Yankuba Askia Bio now at the helm of affairs at the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, there is sure to be efficiency, security, and customer confidence through professional responsiveness.
It is not surprising that under Yankuba Askia Bio’s leadership, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay is now a securitized and safe port that is being recognized within the sub-region as one of the most compliant ports in the enforcement of international conventions in the maritime domain. For instance, on two consecutive occasions, the Queen Elizabeth II Quay has been awarded the “Best Port in Import and Export Traffic Growth in the Africa Sub-region” in the sixth and seventh Editions of the Africa Ports Awards Ceremonies in Luanda, Angola, in 2022 and in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2023 respectively.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, December 15th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
