By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a Press Conference held on Thursday 22nd December, 2022 at Fourth Street in Freetown, the Civil Society Consortium on Community Accountability and Service Delivery has urged all inbound and outbound Passengers in Sierra Leone to comply with the agreed amount (US$25) Securiport fee of the Freetown International Lungi Airport at the time of purchasing their air tickets.
Reading a press statement, the Gender Adviser Civil Society Consortium on Community Accountability and Service Delivery, Hawa Koroma, said that the public can recall that the Ministry of Internal Affairs informed all inbound and outbound passengers, particularly those using the Freetown International Airport at Lungi that effective 31st August 2022, the Government of Sierra Leone ceased to pay for security services provided by Securiport and that passengers should now foot the cost for the aforementioned services.
She added that since 2016, the Government of Sierra Leone had been footing the said cost of security services provided by Securiport at the Freetown International Airport for all inbound and outbound Passengers, but continued that, however, considering the adverse impact of the world economic crisis on the country’s economy and other additional commitments, the Government can no longer meet the initial service cost of US$40 for each inbound and outbound passenger.
Hawa Koroma said that for that reason, the Government of Serra Leone engaged the Management of Securiport to re-negotiate the cost of their services per passenger and that the re-negotiated fee for both inbound and outbound passengers is now US$25 per person.
She stated that the Consortium on Service Delivery, in ensuring that quality security measures are provided at the Freetown International Airport as an international best practice, is encouraging all inbound and outbound Passengers to pay the agreed amount (US$25) at the time of purchasing their air tickets in order to avoid any embarrassment, disclosing that the fee can also be paid through Orange Money, Afrimoney, and online payment platform: www.securipass.sl and that passengers who do not have access to the internet or mobile phone services can execute the transaction over the counter at the following banks, Ecobank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB).
“Finally the Consortium on Service Delivery will closely follow and monitor all processes in ensuring that quality security services are provided by all parties concerned,” she concluded.
Speaking on behalf of Securiport, the Finance Supervisor, Emmanuel Jones said that the new airport will soon be ready and flights going in and out of Sierra Leone will increase significantly adding that such will also increase the need for safety and security.
He maintained that Securiport is bringing the latest technologies to Sierra Leone, to put the Government and intelligence services in full control of who is entering and leaving the country at the airport, stating that Securiport is doing such to keep the airport safe, to keep the airlines safe, to keep the equipment at the airport safe, to keep the travelers safe and to keep the country safe, in collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone.
