Tanzanians living in rural areas will now have a
wider coverage of the mobile phone communication technologies in their areas
after the government has at last disbursed the tax payers’ money the sum total of
Sh. 17.5 billion as subsidy for the development of communication infrastructures
in the country. Speaking to journalists last week in Dar es Salaam, the Minister
for Communication, Science and Technology Professor Makame Mbarawa said that, already
the government has contracted five mobile phone companies to expand the
services in rural areas. He named the
companies as Vodacom, Zantel. Airltel, Tigo and TTCL and noted that, had been
given the tender to facilitate the move after having undergone the tendering
processing procedures as laid down by the rule. Prof. Mbarawa noted that, the
money had been issued by the World Bank as a loan and part of it has been
contributed by the government as tax payers’ money from its coffers, but he couldn’t
specify how much has been contributed by the government among the lump sum and
vice versa. However, he added that these have been invested to facilitate the construction
of the communication towers and other related devising tools in 152 wards in
869 villages which are in 29 districts in the country. Professor Mbarawa
further noted that, the government through his ministry has seen the need to
expand phone communication technologies in rural areas as part of the
ministry’s role to ensure the big results now for future economic development. He
also noted that, such areas have been abandoned by phone companies owing to the
fact that they have no business attractions and poor goodwill, as this is one major
reason for such areas were deliberately left from being developed by phone
companies operating in the country. In order to curb with the increased
challenges, the government had established ‘the
communication fund for all’ with a view to effectively implement the
existing irregularities affecting the communication sector in such rural areas.
“The main objective of the establishment of the fund is to ensure that all
Tanzanians are reliably reached with the mobile phone communication
technologies wherever they are in the
country, and with ease especially in those areas already abandoned by
businessmen that pose danger for their development” he said. Efforts by the
government to send mobile phone communication technologies to rural areas which
are not attracted incorporates five major mobile companies in the country which
according to Prof. Mbarawa should have their work finished at least in half of
all 152 wards by March 2014. Either, Prof. Mbarawa noted that, three mobile
phone companies have volunteered to build own communication towers in abandoned
areas in additional 48 wards by using their own expenses without using the
government subsidies. He said in an exclusive interview that each tower cost $
200,000 (about Sh. 320 million) He mentioned the companies and the number of
wards in brackets as Tigo (4), Airtel (4) and Vodacom (40). He has thanked the
company for their merited support as they have shown their readiness to work in
collaboration with the government towards facilitating the economic development
of the country. According to Professor Mbarawa the government has targeted to
accomplish the construction of the needed communication towers in rural areas
to 220 wards with a view to boost business incentives in the country by end of
this year. Apart from the efforts shown, the government is in line to look for
other means in order to look for the external sources and incorporates
stakeholders so as to save the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector which has deteriorated in rural areas
in the country with a view to speed up economic development of the people and the nation. The growth of
the ICT sector in the country has been so successful and a great help in facilitating
and making reforms so as to ensure a smooth delivery of the social and economic
services to the people. The sector has also played an important role for the
development of the country. For example, many people uses the technology to
settle down their bills such as water, electricity, paying of school fees and
paying debts owned to TRA through internet communication, other services
includes SIM Banking and many others.
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