By Chisomo Phiri

Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) says it is ready to begin implementing the National Addressing System (NAS) project in Nkhotakota district.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Nkhotakota on Monday, MACRA’s NAS Manager, Limbani Sekani, revealed that the project is expected to have numerous benefits, including increasing revenue through ease of tax collection, improving accuracy in census information collection, and promoting tourism, among others.

Sekani explained that the project, in line with Section 124 of the Communications Act of 2016, will involve identifying and naming streets and roads, numbering houses according to the new system, marking and naming prominent buildings, and other measures to ensure the project’s smooth and effective implementation.

Nkhotakota South Constituency Lawmaker, Brainex Kaisi, commended the initiative, saying it will solve the challenges local scholars faced when applying for international opportunities due to the lack of zip or postcodes.

Kaisi agreed with Sekani that the project will help boost and promote tourism activities in the district.

“When Malawians apply for international opportunities, there is a section that requires one’s zip or postcode.For Malawians, especially from Nkhotakota, people have failed to complete such applications, meaning that the coming of this project will conform Malawi to international standards of location identification.

“This will assist us to stand on par with other countries in opportunities, boost trade, and tourism, as addressing systems make identifying tourist sites easier,” said Kaisi.

District Deputy Council Chairperson, Fiton Khofi, hailed MACRA for the initiative but requested the regulator to continue spreading information about the project throughout the district for maximum sensitization and awareness.