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Escom cherishes MCC energy compact

 

 

Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) says it is improved efficiency in service delivery to its customers and improved operations internally on account of a new Management Information System (MIS), an official has said.

Escom MIS project manager, who is also the parastatal’s senior information and technology officer, David Tandwe said almost eight months down the line since the migration to the new system, Escom has reduced transaction costs, fraud and corruption while enhancing customer service delivery.

An aerial view of Nkhoma power sub-station built with energy compact funds

He said: “Previously, our customers were walking long distances from their homes just to collect application forms for them to get connected to the power grid. But now customers are applying for new connection online through Escom website.

“With the manual system, documents could get lost and tracking of new applications was a challenge, but now this is not the case as within seconds, you can get all details of the customers at a single click.”

Tandwe said the institution’s business processes are now computerised and online unlike previously when most of the of its systems were operating manually.

“The installed MIS has automated financial management, billing and revenue collections system, procurement and fixed asset mapping and has brought the institution into the 21st century with an online portal, an effective billing systems that uses real-time data to improve services in a transparent manner,” he said.

Escom migrated to the new system in January 2018 as part of the Power Sector Reform Project (PSRP) which was implemented by Millennium Challenge Account-Malawi (MCA-Malawi) with funding from Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) under the $350.7 million (K256 billion) Malawi energy compact which ended yesterday.

Currently, Escom has uploaded relevant institutional information such as its financial and asset position on the website for potential investors to make informed decisions.

MCA-Malawi’s PSRP complemented the Infrastructure Development Project (IDP) by providing support for the government’s policy reform agenda, supported Escom in re-building its financial sustainability and enhanced the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) capacity in regulating the power sector.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Government said it is ready to “nurture and sustain” the investments in the power sector under the energy compact.

Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Principal Secretary Patrick Matanda in a recent interview said: “Measures have been put in place to sustain these investments and we are glad that both Electricity Generation Company (Malawi) Limited and the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi have put in place structures to help sustain these investments.” n

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