The Fiji Electricity Authority says the network that the cash power machine uses were the same used for M-PAiSA, and should not be an issue.

The authority’s chief executive officer, Hasmukh Patel, was responding to claims by some villages in the Tailevu area about how they were given no warning on the sudden change in recharging their cash power machines.

Mr Patel said: “The Vodafone Network was up and running in the weekend and customers were purchasing through M-PAiSA.

“With these two platforms, customers will be able to top up from their homes and this will save money and time taken to travel to Korovou to top up.”

Nairoro settlement resident in Tailevu, Uraia Bauturaga, said a week ago villages in the area found it hard using M-Paisa because most of them had no power.

“When we went to the supermarket, he only told us the machine has been taken away and now we have to use M-Paisa, but not everyone knows how to use M-Paisa,” Mr Bauturaga said.

“The network connection is an issue in the Tailevu area, which needs to be looked at.”

Head of Vodafone E Commerce and Corporate, Shailendra Prasad, said Vodafone Fiji would need to know where the network issues were coming from, but the decisions to sell cash power was entirely up to FEA.

Mr Prasad said M-Paisa was a good option for villages because they could top up their electricity directly instead of having to go to town.

Mr Patel had said earlier this year that talks were underway with Vodafone Fiji and Digicel Fiji for the use of mobile phones Fiji wide to buy cash power.

He said M-Paisa and Digicel Mobile Money initiative was launched in 2016 and an awareness started the same year.

He said FEA was continuing this awareness this year and greater television awareness was also done.

“In Tailevu we have visited 30 villages and three communities. We have also advised our prepay agents to sign customers up to M-Paisa and Digicel Mobile money,” Mr Patel said.

This is part of an agreement with Vodafone Fiji and Digicel Fiji.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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