Bunge approves 212.5bn/- budget as Ministry eyes to boost communication sector

LAWMAKERS have unanimously approved the Information, Communication and Information Technology’s spending plan for the next financial year 2023/24 as the State eyes to mainstream ICT into various sectors to boost development.

Out of the planned amount, a total of 30.5bn/- is for recurrent expenditure while the other 182bn/- will be injected into various development projects.

Elaborating on the development project budget estimates, Mr Nape said out of the said 182bn/-, a total of 146.8bn/- will be generated from internal sources while remaining 35.2bn/- will be sources abroad.

Of various ICT related projects planned to be executed in the next FY, Mr Nape told the lawmakers that Tanzania plans to establish Africa’s Swahili Radio Service with a mission of fostering usage of the language and the continent’s unity.

Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Nape Nnauye revealed this at the Parliament in Dodoma on Friday when he was tabling 212.5bn/- spending plan for the next financial year 2023/24.

Apart from the Radio, Mr Nape says, in the next fiscal year, the Ministry will enhance the establishment of an office for the Private Personal Data Protection Committee.

In his budget speech, the Ministry plans to construct 60-km broadband through Lake Tanganyika to connect Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).