ICT Commission encourages innovators to use NaPA systems

DODOMA: Director General of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Commission, Dr Nkundwe Mwasaga has urged innovators to leverage the National Physical Addressing (NaPA) system to develop innovative services that can benefit Tanzanians nationwide.

He emphasized that through NaPA, ICT Commission is working to bridge the digital divide, enhance digital literacy, and position Tanzania as a leader in the global digital economy.

Speaking at the launch of  the Postcodes Commemoration Week in Dodoma on Thursday, the ICT Commission czar encouraged Tanzania to use the system which he described it as the best compared to others because it covers the entire people.

“This is a great opportunity for innovators…what you innovate can be accessed by Tanzanians from each corner of the country NaPA. I encourage you use the system, developed to cater the needs of locals, because you can reach as many people compare to other systems,” he said.

Launching the well-attended event at Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre in the capital city, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Advocate Jerry Silaa said various African countries have started visiting Tanzania to learn how the country has successfully implemented the lucrative National Physical Addressing (NaPA) system.

He stated that several countries—though he did not disclose their names—had struggled to implement the system in accordance with regional and global agreements.

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Speaking at the event, which was attended by various stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, the minister emphasized that the system has significantly improved the provision and accessibility of social services, particularly in the 4th, 5th, and 6th industrial phases, which rely heavily on ICT.

“The implementation of this system was stalled for over 10 years until President Samia Suluhu Hassan issued a directive to complete the exercise within four months. The President’s decision deserves praise. It should be noted that many countries, especially in Africa, have failed to implement the programme. As a result, they are now visiting Tanzania to learn how we made it successful,” he said.

According to him, by May 31, 2022, when the operation concluded, over 12.3 million postcodes had been registered and integrated into the NaPA system.

Under the theme “Understanding and Using Postcodes to Enhance Delivery and Access to Services,” Advocate Silaa stated that the three-day event aims to boost the implementation and sustainable use of the NaPA system.

Deputy Minister in the President’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Festo Dugange, said that his ministry is one of the primary beneficiaries of the system, as it has enhanced service delivery in both urban and rural areas.

Representing Minister Mohamed Nchengerwa at the well-attended event, Dugange noted that PO-RALG has successfully conducted trials of issuing letters digitally.

“The Ministries of Communications, ICT, and PO-RALG have agreed to continue training regional and district coordinators on the NaPA system. Additionally, online training will be conducted via ICT,” the deputy minister said, urging administrative secretaries and district directors to facilitate and encourage staff participation in the training.

He further emphasized the importance of the system in streamlining government operations, saying:

“PO-RALG is responsible for serving citizens and is the primary service provider. Therefore, this system is crucial for our daily operations. We recently conducted a trial of issuing letters digitally, and the initiative has proven to be successful.”