By William Madouk Garang
The Director-General of National Communication Authority (NCA) has disputed Adjia Acuil’s caricature that depicts his docket as ‘slumbering’ while telecom firms are looting public, citing that it’s a twisting of reality.
Boss of NCA, Napoleon Adok noted that communication authority is not sleeping as perceived but ‘wide-awake’, asserting that they are aware of public outcry due to high internet and mobile calls tariff.
Reacting to a sketch draw by the prominent caricaturist Adija which portrayed NCA as sleeping while the country is being duped, Adok labeled the cartoon as a misrepresentation of their actual work.
“Two days ago, a cartoon captured a public opinion depicting NCA as sleeping while the public is being looted. I would like to use this platform to correct that misrepresentation of NCA’s work. We are not sleeping anywhere, we are more than awake on your behalf,” Adok said in a statement on NCA official Facebook page.
Mr. Adok further said on NCA official Facebook page that, they have embarked on reviewing the operation and costing of telecommunication services.
“I have taken note of the public outcry in regards to the cost of Telecommunication services while QoS (Quality of Service) remain very poor in some areas,” Adok said.
“NCA has embarked on reviewing the operation and costing of services by all operators to ensure that people get value for their money,” he continued.
On November 17, the two leading telecommunication companies – Zain and MTN implemented their final increment of data and phone calls rates. This was after NCA on September 8, decided to adjust tariff rates for mobile network operators from 300 per dollar to current central bank rates of 600 pounds per a dollar.
That made South Sudan one of the countries with the highest internet cost in the region.
The cost of one gigabyte for mobile internet in South Sudan is currently at 7 U.S. dollars (4,370 SSP), while it only costs an average of 0.84 U.S. dollars in neighboring Kenya, 0.75 U.S. dollars in the Sudan and 1.32 US dollars in Uganda.
The decision which has now doubled mobile internet and voice bundles from September rate – has left the public mourning as many say they can no longer afford telecommunication.
The official also lamented that he has had the most difficult job trying to balance “between availability and affordability.”
“In this endeavor I have travelled around the world engaging technological companies to seek solution that address our current predicament,” he said.
The Cartoon
