Message from the Managing Director, Sierra Leone Postal Service (SALPOST) Ltd. 

By every measure, this has been a challenging year, not only for the Postal World and Sierra Leone Postal Service but all facets of society across the globe. Therefore, I would start by extending thanks and appreciation to my work colleagues here at Sierra Leone Postal Service (SALPOST) for their hard work and dedication through such trying times. 

As we commemorate another year of World Post Day in the Universal Postal Union (UPU) annual calendar, let us all pause for a minute to remember those who we have lost to COVID-19. 

Fifty-one years ago, in Tokyo at the 1969 UPU Congress, the 9th of October was declared World Post Day. Since then, union member countries across the world, including Sierra Leone Postal Service, participate annually in this day's commemoration. 

World Post Day aims to create awareness of the role the postal sector plays in people’s and businesses’ everyday lives and its contribution to the social and economic development of a nation. The celebration also encourages UPU-member countries to undertake programme activities to generate a broader awareness of the Post’s role and activities among the public and media on a national scale. 

For us here at SALPOST Ltd, we would like to focus on the strides we have made over the last two years in rebranding the institution and our diversification plans, and new products and services for the next 2-3 years. 

Our Target Operating Model (TOM) is to leverage Post offices in all four regions, and every district headquarter town, by refurbishing and positioning them to serve as the ultimate One-Stop-Shop. This One-Stop-Shop will provide access to and deliver public and essential financial services to anyone, anywhere, efficiently, and at an affordable cost. 

As we go into the final quarter of FY20 and look forward to FY21, we will be rolling out some of these services including, passport application forms (already launched in February 2020), vehicle registration, drivers’ licenses application forms, payment of utilities, and property rates. We will also provide essential financial services like foreign exchange bureau and agency banking, adding to the traditional postal services of parcels and letter mail conveyance that we already offer. 

To achieve this, we have embarked on forging strategic partnerships with stakeholders across state institutions and businesses. We are also investing in our ICT infrastructure, postal equipment, mail security & management systems to upgrade, automate our processes and deliver these services on a digital platform. 

In conclusion, we would like to say special thanks to some of our key clients, including World Vision, Action Aid, and SOS, for their trust and confidence in Sierra Leone Postal Service over the years, to our partners, SN Brussels and Kenya Airways (facilitators of our international mail conveyance); and of course, to our line ministry, the Ministry of Information and Communication, our oversight body, the National Commission for Privatisation and the Ministry of Finance for their continued support for the Post, over the years. 

To the UPU International Bureau, Pan African Postal Union (PAPU), West Africa Postal Congress (WAPCO), and all Postal Union Member Countries, we wish you a happy World Post Day and successful celebrations. 

Thank you.
Brima Katta
Managing Director, SALPOST