TCRA eyes ICT penetration into rural areas

BabuK · 2011-05-14T15:23:44+00:00

The government has reiterated its stance to spread information and communication technology (ICT) in rural areas so that rural dwellers may access communication services at affordable rates. This was said in Dar es Salaam yesterday by Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (Tcra) deputy board chairman Dr Vuai Idd Lila at a one-day seminar for editors ahead of the coming commemorations of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD). The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council has chosen "better life in rural communities with ICT" as this years WTISD theme. Dr Idd Lila said despite that Tanzania had moved forward in ICT many people had not enjoyed the services fully. He noted that ICT was a key pillar in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and, therefore, there was a need for rural dwellers to access ICT services. For his part, ITU secretary general, Dr Hamadoun Toure said in a statement that in the rural context, ICT provided enhanced opportunities to generate income and combat poverty, hunger, ill-health and illiteracy. ICT and related applications are key instruments in improving governance and rural services such as providing community health care, clean and safe drinking water, sanitation, education, food, shelter and improving maternal health. Half of the world's population live in rural areas representing the marginalised and more deprived relatives of the world's urban citizens. Among them, are as many as 1.4 billion of world's extremely poor people who are also among the least connected to ICT. "We cannot allow this situation to continue. It is time we enable rural communities to access ICT," he said. ITU is committed to connecting the world and ensuring that ICT benefits reach out to the most vulnerable communities. "Today ICT is the power house of the global economy and offers real solutions to sustainable economic growth and prosperity," he explained. For his part, UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon welcomed the efforts by ITU to bring broadband to every community. He said recent events around the world, particularly in North Africa and the middle East had highlighted the catalytic roles that mobile phones and social media could play in galvanising public opinion against repression. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Thread starter BabuK
Start date May 14, 2011

BabuK

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TCRA eyes ICT penetration into rural areas

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