TANGA: THE Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF) has said 90 per cent of the 1,900 wards have been connected with communication services.
UCSAF Chief Executive Officer, Ms Justina Mashiba gave the statistics when explaining how the fund has been implementing its duties to ensure people have reliable access to communication.
Ms Mashiba said the project to connect communication to 1,900 wards is progressing well, saying the remaining 10 per cent of construction of the communication towers will be done soon.
“On the access to communication, especially in rural areas, we signed a contract for the construction of communication towers in 1,900 wards countrywide, so far the task has been undertaken by almost 90 per cent and the remaining ten per cent will be completed within a short period,” she said.
When the project is completed, UCSAF will have facilitated access to communication to more than 15-million Tanzanians who did not have the facility.
On provision of reliable communication services to residents of Msomera village in Handeni District, Tanga Region, who have relocated from Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Ms Mashiba said everything was on track to connect the village.
She said UCSAF is in close cooperation with TTCL Corporation who are implementing three projects of tower construction in Msomera village.
Ms Mashiba said the construction of a TTCL tower at Msomera will offer access to other mobile phone companies to connect, thus increase the scope of communication access to the villagers.
Moreover, UCSAF in collaboration with TTCL are in the final stages of the construction of a communication tower in Mkababu village where more than 5,000 houses are being constructed for the next phase of people who will relocate from Ngorongoro to the village.
“We are pleased because we are in the final stages of completion of the construction of a TTCL tower in Mkababu village before residents of Ngorongoro shift to the areas,” said the UCSAF CEO.
“I thank all communication service providers for their support to UCSAF, you have been a clear example of the cooperation between public and private sector for improved access to communication, let us keep up the team work, for universal access communication to all Tanzanians” said Ms Mashiba.
The CEO said the fund has supported Samia Suluhu Hassan Primary School with ICT equipment, including computer, projector and printer since they have been connected with the national fibre optic cable being part of the UCSAF implementation of a project to equip public schools with information and communication technologies gadgets.