The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication on Tuesday launched the National Digital and Postal Addressing System (NDPAS).
SnooCODE Limited is a UK-registered and Ghana-based technology company that provides future-ready location-based solutions to power core citizen centric services like Banking, Logistics, e-Commerce and Emergency Services in the developing and developed world.
The SnooCODE digital addresses system that provides other cost-saving and safety- increasing features to complete the ecosystem.
It can be recalled in 2009, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) passed a resolution mandating all member countries to initiate addressing system within their respective countries.
The launch of the national digital and postal addressing system is fulfillment of this resolution, code name “Addressing the World, an Address for everyone.”
The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications launched the first pilot phase in 2013, addressing 15, 000 structures around the Congo Town belt, specifically the beach side.
The second pilot phase was launched in 2019, addressing 25,300 structures including vacant lots and structures under construction in the corridors of Sinkor and Monrovia respectively.
Providing an overview of the launch, the Minister of Post and Telecommunication, Cooper Kruah, stated that the national digital and postal addressing system is to ensure that digital migration overwhelmingly take center stage of technology in Liberia.
Minister Kruah, Sr. furthered that the NDPAS was made possible through he and his team of technicians who strategized to transition Liberia postal addressing system from the physical to digital asserting that the system will make it more easy to locate people in time for service delivery.
Minister Kruah revealed that the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications signed a public private partnership agreement with SnooCode, an IT-based international company to make successful the digitalization of Liberia postal system.
He asserted that the work of SnooCode will digitalize the entire country, noting, “Today, the whole of Liberia is covered with a digital address and work is ongoing to complete the operationalization of codes and onboard everyone.”
For his part, founder and CEO of SnooCode Limited, Sesinam Dagadu disclosed that the address system is one of the most advanced digital systems in the world which needs internet to be downloaded but not to use it afterwards adding that it works across every square root in Liberia.
Dagadu said further that the system can be used for mail, parcel deliveries and tracking as well including digital signature as evidence and access to protect one process online and encouraged all Liberians to download the “SnooCode” app on play Store.
In remarks, Derek Laryea, COO SnooCode Limited, applauded the Liberian Government for awarding them the contract.
According to him, the SnooCODE digital addressing system allows anybody in Liberia to generate a memorable 5–7-digit address codeunique to their location (e.g., Monrovia 499- GUA), which can be shared with trusted contacts to direct them to their exact location using any mobile phone mapping system of their choice.
“This means that individuals, businesses, and public services – from the Ambulance, Post to Waste management – will be able to move about more efficiently and keep accurate records, creating a positive impact on Healthcare, Public Administration, Tourism, and Security,” he revealed.
He emphasized that the initiative will create jobs, boost the Liberian economy, empower the Liberian youth to acquire more skills to create their own jobs, and create opportunities for young Liberian technologists and engineers to build on the SnooCODE digital addressing system to create their own novel solutions to some of Liberia’s most pressing problems.
He further explained that the Project will also ensure optimized and efficient emergency response and public health services for rural and urban dwellers, as well as guarantee efficient and effective epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response.
“Starting with Monrovia, SnooCODE can today be downloaded on iOS and android devices. The system’s implementation plan towards covering the whole country is undergoing testing in other cities and towns and this would be communicated by the Ministry in phases,” he noted.
