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Lawrence Chitumba Mashonaland Central Bureau
THE Government is committed to providing Information Communication Technology (ICT) in marginalised areas to promote development so that the country can attain the envisaged Vision 2030 of an upper middle income economy, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said improved access to ICTs will not only promote growth and development in marginalised areas, but will have spill over growth and development in the country as a whole.
He was officiating at the commissioning of NetOne’s base station at Chatumbama under Chief Matope in Mt Darwin.
Dr Muswere said it was his ministry’s mandate was to improve mobile accessibility, as the world was now being driven by innovation, information and communication technologies. The area has been relying on the base station at Mavuradonha, but the signal was weak because of the distance and extensive congestion.
The new base station has provision for infrastructure sharing and Telecel has already come on board, giving the community more options.
“As the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, our mandate is to use information technologies and communication solutions to improve the livelihoods of all Zimbabweans irrespective of location, throughout our great nation,” said Dr Muswere.
“The world is being driven by innovation. ICTs have become fundamental in the attainment of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and becoming a middle income economy.
“On behalf of the Government, we call upon the Chatumbama and the entire Mt Darwin community to embrace the enhanced provisions to promote trade within the constituency as a whole. The improved network coverage within the district is a conduit for ease of doing business through NetOne’s products and services.”
Speaking at the same occasion, the director of Local Governance, Mr Cosmas Chiringa, who represented Mashonaland Central Minister of State and Devolution Cde Monica Mavhunga, said while children in urban areas had access to online educational lessons and programmes, the rural folk was completely shut-out due to lack of connectivity.
He said there were many pockets in the eight districts of the province that still had poor television, radio and cellular network coverage and as a result, many school children had no access to educational programmes on radio.
The radio lessons are being offered as an alternative to in-class learning which has been disrupted by measures to restrict the spread of Covid-19.
Online Reporter