Residents of Region Three are now benefiting from faster, more efficient and customer-friendly public services following the official opening of the Government Service Centre at the West Central Mall, Leonora, by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
During a walkthrough of the facility, President Ali highlighted the dramatic reduction in processing times for key government services, noting that transactions which previously took days or weeks are now being completed in minutes.
“Can you imagine that 35 applications in the last 24 hours, taking about 10 minutes each, and people are already receiving their certificates the same day. This would have taken weeks before,” the President said.
He pointed to similar improvements at the Passport Office, where services are now completed in as little as five minutes, describing the transformation as “brilliant.”
The head of state engaged staff and residents, who praised the efficiency and friendliness of the service.
One resident described the experience as “very efficient and very friendly,” a sentiment President Ali welcomed, adding that the goal is to make public service delivery not just efficient, but enjoyable.
“It’s an experience,” the President remarked. “They’re making the process enjoyable, and that is exactly what we want.”
At the centre, services include the processing of passports, electronic identification (e-ID) cards, driver’s licences, birth, death and marriage certificates.
Approximately 20 e-ID cards were processed within the first few hours of operation.
The centre is also facilitating expedited driver’s licences; the entire process is expected to be completed within three days.
Plans are already in place to introduce same-day processing once on-site printing equipment is installed.
President Ali also emphasised the importance of the government’s online portals, which allow citizens to complete forms in advance, significantly reducing wait times at service centres.
He noted that QR codes will soon be prominently displayed at the centre and in public spaces, enabling citizens to access government services quickly and conveniently.
“We want people to scan the QR code, complete everything online, and by the time they come here, all the paperwork is finished,” the President said.
“This reduces the burden on both citizens and staff.”
The president expressed satisfaction with the centre’s early performance, including revenue collection since operations began earlier in the week, and commended staff for maintaining a high standard of service delivery.
Looking ahead, President Ali announced that similar Government Service Centres will be rolled out across Regions Five, Six, Ten and Nine by the first quarter of 2026, as part of the administration’s broader agenda to improve quality of life through better access to public services.
“This is about quality of service and quality of life,” the President said. “By next year, people all across the country will be able to enjoy this same level of efficiency and convenience.”