By Asimenye Sibale
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) is implementing National Physical Addressing System Project which seeks to restore road signposts, name roads and assign house numbers and the authority has urged the citizenry to avoid vandalizing the signposts.
Communications Manager for MACRA Zadziko Mankhambo made the call on Friday at Kapoka market in Chitipa during an awareness meeting with community members on the National Physical Addressing System project currently being rolled out.
He said the project, which will include, naming of roads, assigning area codes, house addresses and restoring road signposts among others, will have huge benefits for the communities hence the need for them to take ownership of the project.
“The physical addressing system will heavily benefit the people as it will make it easier for essential services like the police, postal services and medical aid to locate and reach the people in their areas or homes.
“In other areas like Blantyre, we noted that the road signs were stolen in our phase one of the project and we do not want the same to happen here so we want people to understand it and its benefits, and take it as their own,” said Mankhambo.
On his part, Public Relations Officer for Chitipa District Council Bishop Witmos said the council is committed to see the project concluded in time as it has the potential to improve service delivery to the people in the district.
“As a council we are fully engaged in this national addressing system project and we have already provided MACRA with the addresses of each house, names of roads, and area codes,” said Witmos.
He further added that the project will be implemented in phases as they are currently piloting it in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwaulambya before it is rolled out in all the other T/As of the districts.
According to MACRA, the project is expected to be completed in three months in all the districts of the Northern Region.
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