Dar for fast-tracking postcode system to hasten e-commerce

Jan 19

AS Africa commemorated the Pan African Postal Day yesterday, the government has stated that it is considering fast-tracking the usage of the national addressing and postcode system so that it plays a key role in the development of e-commerce.

It also called upon citizens to make use of the postal services as infrastructure for offering e-commerce and contribute to the national eco-nomic growth.

Works, Transport and Communications Minister, Professor Makame Mbarawa, said that expansion of the national addressing and post-code system across the country will enable every citizen to have an address and improve the qual-ity of service by speeding up distribution and delivery of mails.

Themed “The Post: An essential infrastructure for the development of e-commerce in Africa,” the minister said that this year’s theme is in line with the Istanbul World Postal Strategy 20172020.

“The strategy is centred on improvement of interoperability of network infrastructure; ensuring sustainable and modern products and fostering effective market sector functioning,” Prof Mbarawa explained.

He noted that in September, last year, Physical Address and Postcode guidelines were inaugurated to guide implementation and maintenance of postcode infrastructure in the country.

“Currently, each ward within the country has a postcode which is a special identity number for each ward ... apart from postcode, implementation of addressing was done by installation of streets signage and house numbers in Arusha and Dodoma as a pilot,” he further said.

He noted that the implementation of addressing is going on in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Zanzibar with the aim of naming all streets and numbering all houses in Tanzania.