By Glory Asibu,

Mwanza, November 8, Mana: People in Mwanza district have welcomed Digital Financial Service Project (DFSP), which is facilitating migration from traditional way of hard cash transaction to electronic way of transaction, e-payment, saying this is the modern and secure way of transaction.

Reserve Bank of Malawi and the Ministry of Finance are implementing DFSP, which will see e-payment will see people across Malawi including those in hard to reach areas transacting through mobile cash agents in receiving, depositing and paying for goods and services.

During an e-payment awareness meeting Thursday, in Mwanza, Senior Chief Govati of the district, said the e-payment was the way to go and commended the system, saying that e-payment is easier way of transacting compared to the traditional way of using hard cash.

He therefore encouraged his subjects to adopt the system, describing it as the most secure means of transaction for people in harder to reach areas that could not access the banks for cash deposit and other ways of payment for goods and services.

“Among others, the new system will cut distance that people travel when they want to access money from banks because some walk not less than 40 kilometers to access banking services at Mwanza Boma. People will now be assisted within localities,” added Govati.

He appealed to network service providers to ensure uninterrupted network, saying some parts of Mwanza district have problems with network, which might result in compromising the e-payment.

Govati pledged to engage his subordinate chiefs to raise awareness on the benefits of the e-payment, saying that further awareness will continue in all social gatherings in his area.

In his remarks, Mwanza District Disability Forum, Chairperson, Gideon Chikasamba, commended the system but asked for special consideration to make the system friendly to people with visual impairment to enable them transact on phone without difficulties.

Anna Siyamphanje of Pitala Village, from Inkosi Kanduku Maseko’s area, who is a member of a Village Savings and Loan group expressed gratitude over the modern system, saying this will help her group buy shares through e-payment other than paying with cash.

“At this campaign we have been sensitized that we can buy shares on phone through Mpamba or Airtel Money as such problem of theft is prevented,” said Siyamphanje.

During the campaign, DFSP, District Supervisor, Andrew Chafwala warned community members in the district against disclosing personal identity number (PIN) to other people, saying this is not the secure way to transact.

The campaign which is in third phase seeks to sensitize people on significance of using phone to send, receive, deposit and making payments of goods and services among others via Mpamba, Airtel Money.

The African Development Fund is supporting DFSP, which is expected to roll out to all districts in Malawi by February 2025.