Sierra Leone Floats New Number Plates To Curb Crimes

In a bid to stop incessant crimes associated with individuals using vehicles to perpetrate such, the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) has launched a new number plate series.

At the ceremony to unveil the new number plates at their head office in Freetown on Monday, Ibrahim Sannoh, the executive director of SLRSA, said the innovation was aimed at curbing the increasing vehicle crimes in the country.

He said the new number plates would make it easier to manage data electronically.

He explained that the new number series launch was in line with President Julius Maada Bio’s digitalization agenda for all government 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-vehicle number plates – Bilhaq Trading and Construction System, Sara Trading Company, and the International Associated Services Ecowas License Plates (IAS).

Meanwhile 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 owner will not incur additional costs, as the production cost remains the same.

The SLRSA is going through a 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.

Recall that 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.