Africell Mobile Phone Company Launched
By Marian Samu

Africell, the fourth in a series of mobile phone companies that have started to operate in Sierra Leone was launched today, 14th March 2005.

In his opening remarks the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Francis Gabiddon, said the occasion was not only about the launching of a mobile phone company, but that it symbolised a way to say to the whole world that there is peace now in Sierra Leone.

He remarked that following the Vice President's pronouncement in London for business people to invest in the country, Sierra Leone has witnessed a pool of business entrepreneurs showing interest in the country. Wishing the Africell Company well in their business endeavour, Mr. Gabiddon assured Africell that Sierra Leone is a business-friendly country that has a liberal approach to entrepreneurial development.

The Managing Director of Africell, Mr. Ziad Kabrit, while welcoming guests to the ceremony stated that this is yet another milestone in the mobile phone industry. He expressed gratitude to the leadership of Sierra Leone for the enabling environment of peace and stability for business operations. He said that although mobile phone operation is a capital intensive investment, they will do all they can to make it efficient and affordable for the people of Sierra Leone, and that they will endeavour to reach the rest of the provinces very soon.

The Minister of Transport and Communication, Dr. Prince Harding, reiterated his Ministry's mission statement of providing the people of this country with efficient and affordable means of communication. He underscored the importance of communication for sustainable economic growth and national development, and the private sector with a very important role to play in this respect. Dr. Harding said his Ministry has already given license to five mobile companies to operate in the country. This move, he said ensures competition and quality delivery of service, adding that it is mandatory for all companies to endeavour to cover the whole country.

The Minister also noted the creation of employment opportunities by the various operators, which he said has been on the rise in the telecommunications sector with the inception of mobile phone companies in the country. He, however, admonished the companies that it is mandatory for them to have interconnection between each other. He also informed the gathering that Government will soon enact the Telecommunications Act to guide the performance of all operators.

Delivering his address at the ceremony, the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, said mobile phone companies have made a pivotal contribution to the telecommunications industry.

He recalled that at Independence telecommunications links was possible all over the country, but lamented that all those facilities were destroyed over the years and during the war. He noted the transformation of the industry within a very short period of time after the end of the war. President Kabbah underscored the importance of effective telecommunications in development activities, education, commerce, etc.

He acknowledged the necessity for healthy competition stressing that it does not only have to be effective but has to be also affordable. Although it is the people who decide on the survival and operations of the telecommunications company, it is government that has to regulate the industry and ensure cost effectiveness of the services. He said that with the enactment of the regulatory legislation and the coming into being of a communications commission, all licensed operators will submit to performance targets that will ensure high quality of service and reasonable cost to the consumer. This kind of framework, he said, will be good for competition and transparent trasactions.

President Kabbah encouraged more investors to come into the country, assuring them that nothing will be done to discourage them, and emphasized government's open door and liberal policy.

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