By Yiep Joseph
Former Press Secretary in the Office of the President, Ateny Wek, has called on the government to revise the tariff imposed on telecommunications and find another means to raise revenue, as they claimed.
According to the statement seen by this outlet, Ateny joined a nationwide team call on telecommunication companies to reduce the tariffs recently imposed on calls and internet services.
In October, three telecom operators, MTN, Digitel, and Zain, announced tariff increments, citing the Central Bank’s increase in the foreign exchange rate.
The operators, in a joint statement, said the National Communications Authority and the Central Bank had agreed to adjust the telecom tariffs in response to the official exchange rate increases.
“The adjustments will occur in three phases from October to December 2024. The first change will occur on the night of 18 October 2024, followed by subsequent changes on 18 November and 18 December,” the statement issued by the company partly read.
While feeling discontented like many South Sudanese, Ateny appealed to the government to revise the tariffs and seek other means to raise revenue, adding that it is a huge burden on the citizens and youth in particular.
“I am making this appeal to the Ministry of Information, Telecommunications & Postal Service as well as the National Communications Authority to revise the tariff imposed on telecommunications and find what is appropriate to be levied from consumers. Otherwise, the telephone network subscription is unreasonably milking the consumer.” Ateny said
“Majority of those who use internet services are young men or women, and they spend their time on the internet in an attempt to avoid thinking of hunger and other bad things attached to it. Why is the internet exceedingly unaffordable?” he questioned.
He expressed that the government’s decision to let the companies increase the tariffs with the aim of increasing revenue or taxing is not in the public interest, and there is a need for the government to regulate the companies.
“It is not about empowering telephone networks detrimental to the innocent population. The regulatory body in the name of the Ministry of Information, Telecommunications, and Postal Service and the National Telecommunications Authority should be public interest-driven. It shouldn’t do the opposite,” he said.
He blamed the government for prioritizing collecting taxes from companies and forgetting that consumers need to be protected from being harmed by such tariffs.
“Taking into account the consumer’s right to protection. I think both the Ministry and the NCA do not care about what is happening in the area of consumer protection. If any, I think they only levy taxes, and the rest is left to consumers on the basis of take-it-or-leave-it,” he said.
He added the increases in internet services as well as in direct calls returned people to the Stone Age, claiming that many people could not afford them, hence affecting communications in the country.
“I never knew we have the most expensive telephone service in the world until I got to know about the recent increases. 10,000 SSP is equivalent to $2.2 US dollars that can buy an unlimited local call unit anywhere,” he said.
“Notwithstanding, in South Sudan, 10,000 SSP can barely make 7 local calls to different 7 people. On the internet, the same amount can’t last for 24 hours. No more offers of free local calls for promotion in any telephone network in South Sudan,” he added.
Recently, citizens in Juba and across the nation expressed dismay over the surge in communication and internet bundle fees by telecommunication companies.
In a separate statement, Ter Manyang, the Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), called on the government to revise the tariffs, citing that it deprives citizens of their right to information.
He expressed that such expensive charges could make it hard for the public to easily assess the internet or make calls.