This was revealed in the National
Assembly yesterday by the Minister for Works, Transport and
Communication, Prof Makame Mbarawa, while responding to a followup
question by Bukene MP, Mr Selemani Zedi (CCM).
Mr Zedi had queried as why mobile
operators were reluctant to extend services in remote areas despite
receiving funds from the government through the Universal Communication
Services Access Fund (UCSAF).
The fund was established to provide
subventions to mobile operators to put up infrastructure in remote areas
which they considered unprofitable for their operations.
Prof Mbarawa revealed that many firms
had been hesitant to cover such areas save for Halotel which had entered
into an agreement with the government to provide service in far-off
villages.
“Halotel has agreed to extend services
to these areas by putting up communication towers in 1,800 villages
between May and October, this year.
“I assure lawmakers whose constituencies
lack the service not to worry since Halotel will virtually cover all
villages in the country,” the minister remarked.
Earlier, Deputy Minister for Works,
Transport and Communication, Eng Edwin Ngonyani, said two separate
tenders were issued to MIC Tanzania (Tigo) and Airtel Tanzania to
construct communication towers in Bukene Constituency.
In the first tender through UCSAF,
Airtel was given a subsidy of US $ 32,000 dollars to provide services in
Kahama ya Nhalanga Ward in Bukene. Implementation of the project
started in February last year and set to end this month
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