MACRA to enhance mail conveyance system to reach out to underserved rural masses

 

By Duncan Mlanjira

In recognition that the majority of Malawians in the rural areas do not have adequate access to postal services, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) will enhance mail conveyance where private couriers do not reach out.

Through its new information and communication technology (ICT) system, the Universal Service Fund, MACRA will work hand in hand with Malawi Post Corporation which already has a proper mail conveyance service but needs to be enhanced.

This was announced on Tuesday when MACRA met the Media and Communications Committee of Parliament its offices at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre on Tuesday to appraise it on the progress being done on the the Universal Service Fund, which is in its advanced level of execution.

The Universal Service Fund (US Fund) is MACRA’s new system of subsidies and fees intended to promote universal access to communication services in the country in realizing that the majority of Malawians in the rural areas are underserved in ICT services.

The US Fund is expected to help with communications network deployment and service provision in rural and underserved areas, especially in the economically unattractive areas, where ICT and private mail conveyance service providers may not invest due to lack of economic viability.

In her presentation, MACRA’s by Emily Khamula Lungu said postal/courier services are only readily available in  cities and urban areas and that most licensed courier and postal service do not provide postal and couriers services in the rural areas.

She said according to the Communications Act 2016 and the E-Transaction & Cyber-Security Act 2016, the only universal service provider for the postal sector is MPC.

“Provision of postal services and provision of Post Office Boxes, among other services, remain important for the conveyance of parcels and mail.

“The project proposes to facilitate provision of mail vans and motor cycles for the last mile delivery of mails to the rural and underserved areas in order to increase access of postal and courier services for the underserved areas,” she said.

In April last year, MPC was recognized by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) with an  ‘Outstanding Implementation’ award of its specified project entitled “Mail Conveyance Between District Administrative Centres and Rural Offices”.

The award was presented at the 2019 UPU Congress held in Bern, Switzerland and was received on behalf of the government and MPC by Dr. Esmie Kainja, Secretary for Information and Communications Technology.

It is a recognition that Postmaster General Henry Shamu described as a huge honour not only for MPC but to Malawi as a whole, which was also applauded by all the UPU member countries, who attended the Congress.

Shamu said UPU, the World Postal Administration organ of the United Nations, to which Malawi is affiliated to along with 192 countries of the world, administers a special fund called Quality of Service Fund through which member countries access it to improve quality of service such as procurement of service vehicles, scanning machines, CCTVs and other equipment.

“MPC received funding some two years ago which we requested to buy motorcycles to improve mail conveyance services between our district administration centres and rural Post Offices,” Shamu explains. 

“When the money was disbursed, an UPU envoy visited Malawi to make an audit of the project and reported back to headquarters in Bern.

“What makes this award special for us and Malawi as a whole is that we were not expecting to be rewarded this way. We were just doing our services to better the lives of Malawians in the improvement of quality conveyance of mail into the rural areas.

“We are thankful of the support we receive from our clients all over the country and this reward has motivated us to think outside the box in making sure we deliver a high quality mail services,” says Shamu.

Universal Postal Union (Union postale universelle in French), was established by the Treaty of Bern of 1874 as a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. 

The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration (CA), the Postal Operations Council (POC) and the International Bureau (IB). 

It also oversees the Telematics and Express Mail Service (EMS) cooperatives. Each member, Malawi inclusive, agrees to the same terms for conducting international postal duties.