The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) says processes are at an advanced stage for the Corporation to set out a subsidiary company to be handling the fibre optic business in the country.

ESCOM’s Optic Fibre Telecommunications Senior Manager Chester Kabinda-Mbewe disclosed this in Lilongwe during an interface with the Media, Information and Communications Committee of Parliament.

Kabinda-Mbewe said he is optimistic that when the subsidiary company is set, there will a reduction in challenges to do with internet date and connectivity.

“It is justifiable to have like an independent company for the electricity business looking at the fibre network that ESCOM has it has got the potential to help the nation in dropping down the prices of data.

“ESCOM has the potential of giving the nation a reliable network connecting all the main business centers but also connecting all the government offices,” said Kabinda-Mbewe.

Responding to the progress, the Committee`s vice chairperson Suzan Dossi said the Committee will further engage the responsible Ministry of Information to fast-track processes of policy on the same.

“As the government we need a policy whereby government should be in control of the infrastructure because what is happening is that every private company they want to have their own fibre which is one of the issues which is making data expensive in Malawi.

“So we will be engaging the Ministry of Information on the policy issue so that we should see to it that the cost fibre is lower, therefore the cost of data should be lower,” said Dossi.

Apart from connecting government offices, ESCOM has also connected most of the corporate companies including the banks and telecom companies.