By Diing Atem Akoi Diing
Telecommunication companies joined hands together to increase tariffs, claiming that telecommunication service prices would align with the official exchange rate by the Bank of South Sudan.
Due to that reason, given by the companies, citizens reacted differently. Some of them pointed fingers at the government, especially the concerned ministry and the National Communication Authority (NCA). Those officials who are supposed to regulate the operation of the private sector have failed to implement the policies. And others blame the companies for making their lives harder.
South Sudanese are not convinced by this very invalid reason given by the companies. Does it mean that your companies will be adjusting tariffs every day, as does the bank? It’s now clear if I am not wrong. If the exchange rate increases, the tariff will also be hiked, and vice versa. If I may ask, what are you going to improve on? There’s poor network coverage all over the country. Your network is weak, day and night, and the internet brings no hope and development to South Sudanese. I am sure if vulnerable people complain, they will be told by the concerned minister to leave South Sudan for other countries if they are not happy. Are those companies ready to improve on network coverage, resulting in effective communications and high-speed internet?
In other countries, the government in place does regulate the operation of telecommunication companies not to scam and conned citizens. But it’s totally different in South Sudan, where government officials are considered shareholders of every private company. For so, whom do you think can protect the people from being exploited and scammed? Nowadays, no minister and a director can die for the sake of South Sudanese. Bear in mind that the increased tariffs hit the poorest the hardest.
If there’s cheaper and more stable internet, then there will be harmony in the country because youths will be engaged with online jobs. Most of them write assignments, online marketing, and research projects for those who have busy schedules. These opportunities grant them an opportunity to earn a living without pointing accusing fingers at the government. It’s also enabled young people to access scholarship opportunities online. I hope all of us are aware that many South Sudanese do go abroad for studies every year. No government sponsors or connects them to these opportunities, but it was because of affordable mobile internet. So, telecommunication entities must give youths an opportunity to prepare themselves for tomorrow by providing an affordable and stable network.
Moreover, not only getting online jobs and scholarships but also a cheap and stable network enables them to achieve their plans within South Sudan. You can even share business ideas with friends online, internationally, and locally as well. Our students at different levels of education do benefit from the internet, doing their assignments, searching answers on Google, and so on. The companies want to take advantage of government officials who always turn deaf ears to any kind of complaint raised by the poor South Sudanese. Their children are not desperately looking for scholarships, rather than doing research using this expensive and stressful Zain, MTN, and Digitel internet. It should not be denied that the increased tariffs will hit the poorest hardest, especially the students.
Nevertheless, where are the minister and the director responsible for the institution stopping these companies from unreasonable increments of tariffs? I am sure the Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology, and Postal Service will be accountable if our youths of South Sudan lose their side hustle and fail to get online jobs and scholarships. Are you shareholders in these companies? How hard is it to solve this issue? Look, Zol Kebir data of 1GB for 5 hours only; the increment of ssp. 1330 is abnormal.
Honestly, if the president is looking for a solution, then the Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology, and Postal Service is one of the ministries that needs to be transformed. If young people lose jobs and scholarship opportunities, this country will be in chaos. So, government officials need to be watchful with the situation because things become hard. South Sudanese have suffered enough at the hands of private institutions. The government should create a conducive environment for young people to get online jobs and scholarships and share great business ideas together. Data bundles become very expensive, and the network coverage is poor and slow!
The writer is a student at Maseno University.