A new partnership between the Documents Authentication and Registration Service (DARS) and Ethio Post is raising concerns among businesses that depend on offering drafting services to DARS customers. Under the new system, customers can either access the DARS portal directly or draft contracts and submit them through the postal service, bypassing traditional intermediaries. In Addis Ababa alone, the 18 DARS branch offices are typically surrounded by internet cafes and stationery shops that have long relied on their proximity to DARS locations to attract and serve customers.
Hamid Kenneso, Director General of DARS, says customers often faced excessive costs for the simple drafting of contracts, articles of association, and documents. He pointed to the free templates available on their website, which provide the standard outline for almost all types of documents.
“Customers used to pay as much as 500 birr for a few pages,” Hamid told Shega.
Through the new arrangement, customers might soon be able to access DARS services through one of nearly 700 Ethio Post branch offices for standardized fees. While templates for contracts have been available for some time at the DARS website, adoption has remained minimal with many still opting to go to intermediaries. The Director believes that the intuitive design of the DARS platform allows even digitally inexperienced individuals to navigate it with ease.
No Comment Found.