Macra to pilot plot, property identification project

Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) has said the identification of plots and property using numbers or names of streets and buildings by a system of maps and signs will be implemented in phases beginning early next year.

The telecommunications regulatory authority has said preparatory work started some years ago.

Once completed, the physical address and postcode exercise is said to, among other benefits, improve registration of births and deaths, collection of rents and other payments, collection of taxes, provision of health services and maintenance of personal health records.

Macra director general Andrew Kumbatira, responding to an e-mailed questionnaire yesterday, said the exercise comes in to fill the gap created by the absence of comprehensive system of street names and property numbering, which has a detrimental impact on provision of services.

“It is undisputed that a national addressing and post-code system has a positive effect on the economic development of any country, particularly on trade, business and communication.

“Furthermore, administrative hurdles and delays in getting an address hinder business establishments,” he said.

Without disclosing the budgeted cost of the project, Kumbatira said the regulator jointly with other interested parties are still examining their requirements for the implementation of the project while the national steering committee will be looking at the funding models for the project.

He said a project concept was prepared and was approved by government, following which a national steering committee to spearhead the development of physical addresses and postcodes for Malawi was formed.

“In June-July 2008, the Universal Postal Union conducted a mission to Malawi to assist in designing a methodology to develop and disseminate physical addresses and postcodes in Malawi.

“Mission experts conducted an analysis of the current addressing and operational systems with the aim of developing a master plan for disseminating usage of the addresses and improving the current operational system,” he said.

The project, according to Macra, is being championed by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) under the Public Enterprises Reform Unit (Permu) with Macra and Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) as the secretariat and government ministries such as Lands and Urban Development, Local Government and Information, Tourism and Culture as stakeholders.

It will at a later stage engage district and city councils to take a leading role in consulting property owners.