The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has unveiled its state-of-the-art Revenue Assurance System.
The announcement was made in Lilongwe by MACRA’s Director General, Daud Suleman, who expressed his confidence that this advancement will herald a new era of prosperity for all Malawians.
Suleman emphasised the far-reaching impact of the system supplied by a French tech company, Snyp.
“Malawians should take pride in this milestone. The fruits of this system will extend to the furthest corners of our nation, manifesting as new roads, bridges, educational facilities, and improved social services such as the timely payment of teachers’ salaries,” said Suleman.
He further clarified on the system’s functionality.
“The Revenue Assurance System is a sophisticated integrated platform utilised by regulators globally. It ensures the accuracy of revenue declarations by operators, which is crucial since MACRA’s revenue collection is contingent on these declared figures.”
The system’s implementation enables MACRA to authenticate the earnings reported by licensed operators, ensuring that the correct revenue is collected.
“This verified revenue is subsequently channeled back to the government and the people of Malawi in the form of dividends remitted to the treasury,” Suleman added.
Despite initial setbacks for 10 years where MACRA incurred a loss of $20 million to have the system up and running with no tangible results, the authority has successfully operationalised the system within two years, with a prudent investment of $6 million.
Suleman reassured stakeholders, “Our journey with our licensed operators has been transparent and collaborative. The Revenue Assurance System is not a surveillance tool, and their engineers are fully conversant of its workings, ensuring a foundation of trust.”
Suleman, shared promising projections for the 2024/25 fiscal year, with MACRA expecting to generate substantial revenues, estimated at approximately K14 billion.
The system also promises additional advantages, including fair pricing of telecommunication services and enhanced fraud detection capabilities, marking a win for both the regulatory body and the citizens of Malawi.
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