By Bida Elly David
The government has laid a four year strategic plan to improve communication network across the Country through the use of fibre optics that will speed up the transmission of the network.
This development came during the high level conference in Bucharest, Romania organized by the global telecommunication Union regarding analysis of the world access to communication on business and other sectors.
The International Telecommunication Union is a United Nations Agency for Information and Communication Services that has been serving the purpose of aiding the world through radio communication standardization and development.
Recently South Sudan delegation headed by Jacob Korok the deputy Minister of Information Telecommunication and Postal Services and Napoleon Adok, Director General (DG) for National Communication Authority (NCA) as well as other officials recently travelled for a telecommunication summit in Bucharest of Romania aimed at deliberating on global impact of access to telecommunication services.
South Sudan among other Countries in Africa and the globe has been impacted by passive communication network jeopardizing access to domestic and global business with other Countries. Not only that, most private telecommunication services in the Country have taken domination of business monopoly through continuous increment of communication tariffs (Units) leaving citizens without option.
Speaking to the media at the event, Napoleon Adok the DG of the National Communication Authority said that introduction of fibre optics was the only way to improve communication network across the Country.
He reiterated that connecting the Country with fibre optics would be an initiative to mitigate communication difficulties that have been impeding the Country for a long period of time as well as making communication easier with foreign Countries.
“The communication Fibre optics is the fastest medium of conveying information over long detachments providing homes and businesses with affordable internet, telecommunication and television services,” he said.
Napoleon further stated that, the communication authority has also planned to encompass the connection to Eastern DR Congo and Central Africa Republic as a means for revenue accumulation.
“We have undertaken development and prioritizing connectivity as our agenda. For the next four years we are planning a fibre optics cross country. We intend to connect with our neighbors in the Red Sea area through Sudan and Indian Ocean through Kenya and Uganda and by extension, we also seek to connect the same to Eastern Congo and Central Africa making as the center of connectivity,” he said.
He echoed continuous challenges the Country faced towards inhibiting cyber related crimes as well as meeting up scientific progression.
He added that the yearly advancement of technology has reflected South Sudan interest to make a step of improving the communication network for comprehensive access to business, political and social issues.
“Technology is evolving every year and new concepts are up logging, new crimes are emerging so the biggest challenge we are facing is training the human resource to catch up with the cyber-crime issues to distinguish between freedom of press and deliberate distortion of information.”
“We have seen that with Covid-19 and misinformation about the girl child education and this entire element, how fast we can catch up to build a workforce to ensure access to information is protected as enshrined in the human rights law,” he noted.
He underscored that the introduction of fibre optics would not only aid South Sudan but also other countries collaborating with them in various aspects of development.