The government will continue rolling out projects aimed at bridging the digital divide and ensuring universal access to telecommunication services, Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services minister Kazembe Kazembe said yesterday.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Officially unveiling a shared telecommunications tower in Pumula, Tsholotsho, worth over US$400 000 on Friday, Kazembe said some parts of Zimbabwe were poorly serviced when it came to ICTs.
“Given the foregoing, our pledge to the nation is that as a sector, we shall not rest until the legacy objectives of connecting the unconnected, bridging the digital divide, mitigating the dearth of digital awareness, education and requisite skills set as well as mitigating the apparently widening affordability gaps are fully met,” he said.
The unveiling of the tower under the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) shared infrastructure programme was attended by Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs minister Richard Moyo, Tsholotsho North legislator Sibusisiwe Khumalo, Zanu PF North provincial leadership, traditional leadership and the local community.
This becomes the third facility in the Matabeleland region funded by the Universal Services Fund (USF) as part of its Potraz programme of spreading network connectivity.
Kazembe described the project as aimed at addressing the remaining issues of network coverage and universal connectivity, particularly in marginalised areas.
He urged Potraz to continue pushing for infrastructure sharing and more similar projects for the benefit of Zimbabweans.
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Moyo also hailed the development as necessary way in addressing challenges of network connectivity, which the district was facing since independence.
Potraz director-general Gift Machengete assured that the telecommunications regulatory body would continue to use the USF in implementing projects that benefit Zimbabwe.
