By Siraju Bah, Freetown.
The Minister of Information and Communications Hon. Alhaji Alpha Kanu (first from right in photo) has urged Internet service providers and telecommunication companies to collaborate with government in developing a sustainable open access network ecosystem to enhance knowledge and the digital prosperity in the country.
Addressing ISPs and Telecom operators at the Conference Room of the Ministry on August 18, 2015, the Minister eloquently articulated the need for the private sector to collaborate with government in providing high speed internet service and rural telephony to unserved and underserved communities across the country.
He noted that government has an obligation to provide internet and communication service to the people in every nook and cranny of the country irrespective of their economic status saying that in spite of the fact that some of the rural communities are not economically viable, they must not be deprived of the opportunity to communicate. Therefore, he added, the private sector must ensure that they work with government in order to provide telephony access to these remote communities so that the people living in those areas will have the opportunity to connect with their relatives in other parts of the country.
The Minister alluded to the huge strides government has been making in building the critical infrastructure noting that government has laid the fibre optic cable from which the private sector would need to explore and exploit the huge potentials available therein and improve on the country’s ICT landscape.
Honourable Alpha Kanu encouraged ISPs and Telecom operators to work with the government so that they could cover all rural areas before the end of 2015 in order to save the people in these communities from climbing trees in search of a network.
He assured his audience that the government is ready to work with the private sector to improve communication across the country.
’I would like to have a cobweb of fibre connectivity to reach every corner of the country. With your ideas and business intentions coupled with Government’s willingness to open up the country, the vast potentials in the ICT sector will be tapped and communication access will be improved," the Minister said.
After applauding the government for what they refer to as a viable venture, the ISPs and Telecom operators present in the meeting unanimously agreed and assured the Minister that they are ready and willing to join government in doing the last mile so that the fibre will be takne to the homes of the customers.
They also assured the Minister that they will also support government in providing rural telephony so that remote communities that are not economically viable will also enjoy the privilege of access to communication.
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