VP JULDEH JALLOH REOPENS GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT TO END OUTSOURCING

By Morlai Sesay

The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has, on behalf of His Excellency, Retired Brigadier Dr Julius Maada Bio, officially reopened Sierra Leone’s newly modernised Government Printing Department, describing the transformation as a major milestone in strengthening national institutions, improving public service delivery, and restoring confidence in state-owned enterprises. Representing President Julius Maada Bio at the official relaunch ceremony held on Friday, 29th May 2026, at the Government Printing Department headquarters, New England Ville, Freetown, the Vice President said the reopening signified the government’s continued commitment to rebuilding critical institutions and advancing economic transformation through innovation, productivity, and self-reliance.

Addressing government officials, development partners, stakeholders, and staff of the institution, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh described the occasion as a defining national moment, emphasising that the reopening represented far more than the revival of a public facility.

“Today, we are not simply reopening a department; we are restoring national pride. We are modernising state capacity, and we are demonstrating once again that this Government is committed to transforming old institutions into engines of national development,” the Vice President stated. He noted that the once-declining institution has now been transformed into a modern industrial printing hub through a strategic partnership between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Diming Group of Companies.

According to him, the facility is now equipped with advanced digital and offset printing technology, post-processing systems, exhibition spaces, training facilities, modern offices, and a state-of-the-art showroom. Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh emphasised that the modernisation aligns with the government’s broader national vision of reducing dependency on foreign services while promoting local productivity and industrial growth. “Our vision for Sierra Leone is not a vision of dependency. It is a vision of productivity. It is a vision of innovation. It is a vision of self-reliance,” he affirmed.

He further explained that the upgraded Government Printing Department would provide secure, efficient, and high-quality printing services not only for government ministries, departments, and agencies but also for businesses, schools, and institutions across Sierra Leone and the wider subregion. “With this investment, we are restoring local capacity, improving efficiency and security, creating jobs, and demonstrating that our public institutions can once again become productive engines of growth,” Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh stated.

The Vice President disclosed that the project has already attracted more than US$2 million in investment, while an additional US$5 million is expected within the next two years to further strengthen the institution’s operational capacity and regional competitiveness. He stressed that the transformed facility would significantly reduce Sierra Leone’s dependence on foreign printing services, improve the security and integrity of sensitive national documents, generate employment opportunities for young people, promote the “Made in Sierra Leone” agenda, and contribute to national revenue generation. “This institution is now more than a printing press. It is a vivid realisation that institutions can rise again,” he declared.

Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh further revealed the Government’s ambition for the Government Printing Department to become financially self-sustaining by the end of 2026, transforming it from a consumer of public resources into a revenue-generating institution capable of contributing taxes and supporting economic growth. He commended the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, the Government Printer, Mr. Salifu Suma, Sierra Leone’s Embassy in China, development partners, and all stakeholders whose efforts contributed to the successful transformation of the institution.

The relaunch of the Government Printing Department marks a major step in the government’s wider agenda to modernise public institutions, diversify the economy, strengthen industrial capacity, and position Sierra Leone as a regional hub for world-class printing and publishing services. For many attendees, the reopening symbolises more than infrastructure renewal; hence, it reflects the government’s determination to restore institutions that once served as pillars of national development and reposition them to meet the demands of a modern and competitive economy.