By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, July 15, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has warned the public against using unregistered courier companies when sending and receiving goods saying this was one way of safeguarding them from theft.

Speaking in Salima district on Sunday, during an awareness campaign on consumer rights, obligations and the phasing out of physical scratch cards, Consumer Affairs Manager at MACRA, Hudson Mkwapatira warned that once parcels get lost, it would be difficult to trace such courier companies.

He expressed worry over the increase of unregistered courier companies playing their businesses across the country, which he described as illegal.

"As a regulator, it is our role to legally register every courier company that wants to be conducting courier businesses. This is the case because we want to protect consumers and their goods since entertaining such companies puts the customer at risk of losing their goods," Mkwapatira said.

He said it was MACRA's responsibility to safeguard consumer rights and obligations; therefore, they have intensified sensitization campaigns across the country to ensure that the public is aware of emerging issues in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry.

The Manager mentioned the phasing out of physical scratch cards on December 31, 2024 as one of the issues that consumers need to be aware of and that they would be using digital means for purchasing airtime or data bundles.

"Consumers need to know how they will continue purchasing airtime when the scratch cards phase out, we are therefore working hand in hand with telecommunications service operators so that the transition should be smooth," he said.

One of the consumers plying his Airtel money business at Kamuzu Road in the district, Davison Amidu commended MACRA for the awareness saying it was important for customers to be educated on their rights and reporting channels when they meet challenges.

"It is good that they have provided us with means of reporting our grievances to them because we do face different challenges, therefore we are now aware of how to protect ourselves from scammers online and also in our everyday activities," he said.

Senior Chief Kalonga said bringing such campaigns to the people shows how seriously MACRA takes the welfare of the public and requested if the campaign could be extended to remote areas so that there could be a wider reach of the audience.

MACRA is conducting a nationwide mass campaign on ICT consumer rights and obligations as well as the phasing out of physical scratch cards.