PPPC, contractor tout free internet connectivity project
Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) chief executive officer Patrick Kabambe has described the Digital Malawi Project as a game-changer for the country that will make government more efficient in service delivery.
He said this in an interview on Wednesday when he commented on the progress of the $74 million (K77 billion) World Bank-funded project.
Said Kabambe: “The project will help in the country’s digital development. Government offices need good and reliable Internet connectivity to effectively implement things like the Integrated Financial Management Information System, procurement systems, the Affordable Inputs Programme etc.
“Through this project, government has identified 500 sites nationwide. These are education, health, agriculture and other public facilities that will be connected to free Internet.”
He said the project is on track and will be completed by December this year.
Speaking in a separate interview, one of the contractors Bengol.Net Limited managing director Mohammad Zafar Abdullah said works to connect over 300 government facilities in the Northern and Southern regions through the project is progressing well.
He said government has contracted Bengol.Net Limited for 10 years to connect and maintain Internet in public offices in the Northern and Southern regions and that, so far, they have registered good progress.
“Through this project, government offices, hospitals, schools, the most important places, will be connected to the district council through fibre and from there, they will be connected to Capital Hill main data centre.
“In Malawi, 90 percent of people live in rural areas where Internet access is only through mobile data. So, the Digital Malawi Project will cover this 90 percent population by providing free Internet,” said Abdullah.
He said, so far, Bengol.Net has completed 95 percent of sites in Blantyre and almost 80 percent in Mzuzu.
