Sierra Leone Telegraph: 8 September 2020:
Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) yesterday Monday, launched new national motor vehicle number plates at its headquarters on Kissy Road in Freetown, to help curb rising vehicle crime in the country and to make it much easier to manage vehicle data electronically.
Launching the new vehicle number plates, the Executive Director of SLRSA – Mr. Ibrahim Sannoh, said that the new number plates are in line with President Julius Maada Bio’s digitalization agenda for all Ministries, Department and Agencies.
The new vehicle number plates Mr. Sannoh said will put an end to the production of fake vehicle number plates which for a very long time has posed serious national security risks.
The number of police investigations and court cases involving fake vehicle number plates in Sierra Leone, is very high and rising.
With this newly designed number plate, the police and SLRSA will be able to effectively track and trace all vehicles that are registered in the country, the Executive Director said.
According to the administrator of the management information system of SLRSA – Adisa Dosunmu, the new vehicle number plates have three unique features – a QR bar code, the seal of the SLRSA, and the coat of arms of the republic of Sierra Leone.
Adisa Dosunmu said that SLRSA has purchased android devices that will scan the QR bar code on the vehicle number plates to identify the vehicle and its registered owner.
This new technology he said would help the SLRSA to identify and eliminate fake motor vehicle number plates, and prevent the transfer of vehicle number plates from one vehicle to another.
The SLRSA has three contractors that are producing motor vehicles number plates – Bilhaq Trading and Construction System, Sara Trading Company and the International Associated Services Ecowas License Plates (IAS).
Speaking on behalf of the three number plate companies, Mr. Sheik A. Fofanah – the CEO of the Bilhaq Trading and Construction Company said that the new number plates are the first in the West African subregion, and that vehicles from Sierra Leone could now travel within the subregion without hindrance.
The Bilhaq Boss said that other countries within the West African subregion have expressed admiration for Sierra Leone’s new motor vehicle number plates, and are hoping to emulate this new standard set by Sierra Leone.
He also said that the new and innovative number plate design was created by local Sierra Leonean companies and commended the Executive Director of the SLRSA and his Deputy for implementation of the country’s local content policy.
Mr. Fofanah committed the support of the vehicle number plate production companies to the mission and vision of the SLRSA, and said they will maintain the West African standard of producing secure vehicle number plates.
Launching the new motor vehicle number plates, the Executive Director of the SLRSA was quick to announce that vehicle owners will not incur additional costs, as the production cost remains the same.
The SLRSA is going through rapid transformation under the leadership of the Executive Director – Mr. Ibrahim Sannoh. The launching of the new vehicle number plates is the second landmark event in less than a month for the SLRSA .
Two weeks ago, SLRSA launched its new vehicles E-Fitness technology to improve the work of vehicle examiners, as the SLRSA prepares to launch its first biometric driver’s license in Sierra Leone.
Who needs number plates? When you hear about the fraud and misappropriation of public funds from our elected Parliamentians , you wonder where those drivers fogging those number plates are getting their ideas from. Maybe these companies undertaking this task of producing this digital number plates, should take over our ministries, they seemed to know what they are doing. And more importantly you get what you paid for. Government procurement tenders are a gold mine for would corrupt government officials.
The prices are never right.If as this report suggest we are leading the way in digital number plating in west Africa, it will come as a huge boost to our economy that is affected by this conbustable covid19 pandemic. I hope these Sierra Leonean private companies succeed, where our government have faild.
Sierra Leone should not only be known for blood daimonds, Tribal and regional differences, corruption,political witch hunt trials, Ebola, a police force that is running riot, a terrorist state president Bio’s words not my words,State of emergencies, killing of innocent people, but our country can offer positive changes both within and out there in the west African subregion. Our country is known for all the wrong reasons. Its about time we promote our country for all the positive tbings we have to offer. MADE IN SIERRA LEONE!