Leader Of Opposition Calls For Digital Transformation Of SALPOST

By Lemuella Tarawallie

The Leader of the Opposition Bench in Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, has called for the digital transformation of the Sierra Leone Postal Services (SALPOST), urging the Government to make better use of state-owned enterprises rather than waiting for private investors to take over institutions with significant economic potential.

Hon. Kargbo made the call while addressing presidential nominees during their approval process in the Well of Parliament, where he raised concerns over what he described as the country’s failure to fully utilise its state enterprises.

Using SALPOST as a typical example, the Opposition Leader questioned why the Government should wait for an investor to arrive with millions of dollars to transform a state institution, only for the investor to eventually make substantial profits from an enterprise that could have been developed and operated more effectively by the state.

He argued that SALPOST could be transformed into a modern and competitive institution through digital technology, particularly at a time when online businesses and digital commerce were expanding rapidly. He noted that SALPOST should introduce a reliable digital tracking system that would enable customers to monitor their parcels and goods from the point of dispatch until delivery.

He explained that if a person in Bo purchased an item from a business in Freetown, SALPOST should be able to serve as the intermediary responsible for delivering the item, while allowing both the seller and buyer to track the consignment throughout the process.

“Digital transformation is very critical for SALPOST transformation,” Hon. Kargbo stressed, arguing that such a system would improve efficiency, build public confidence and position SALPOST to benefit from the growing online business environment.

He noted that many Sierra Leoneans now purchase goods through social media platforms and other online channels, often without physically visiting shops. He, therefore, maintained that SALPOST should take advantage of this emerging market by establishing itself as a reliable national delivery partner for online businesses.

The Opposition Leader further urged the Government to ensure that online businesses were connected to SALPOST so that goods purchased through digital platforms could be delivered safely and on time.

Hon. Kargbo also warned against a situation where “the Government waits for foreign investors to inject capital into state enterprises, only for the investors to eventually take significant profits out of the country”.

He maintained that the Government should first explore ways of reforming and making state institutions productive, innovative and financially sustainable, with revenues generated contributing to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“When an institution is in government, there is likelihood for that institution not to be productive, but when you privatise it, in the twinkle of an eye, it changes,” he observed, while challenging the country to become more innovative in managing public institutions.

Drawing from his experience in Nigeria, Hon. Kargbo also pointed to the neighbouring country’s efforts to reduce dependence on physical cash and promote digital payments. He said Nigeria was increasingly encouraging cashless transactions, noting that customers could receive different rates depending on whether they wanted physical cash or preferred to receive money through mobile money and other digital channels.

For Hon. Kargbo, such developments demonstrate the need for Sierra Leone to embrace innovation and digital transformation instead of remaining dependent on traditional systems.

He called on the Government to rethink how state enterprises were managed and to introduce reforms capable of turning them into productive institutions that could contribute meaningfully to national development.

The Opposition Leader maintained that Sierra Leone had the potential to make its state enterprises more efficient and commercially viable “if the country embraces technology, innovation and modern business practices”.

He urged the Government to act rather than continue waiting for investors to transform institutions that, in his view, could generate revenue for the state and provide essential services to citizens.