The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Communication Technology and Innovation chaired by Hon. Boston Munda has concluded its three days oversight visit to various telecommunications sectors in the provinces.
It ended the visit on Saturday 29 June, 2024, and the purpose of the oversight visitation was to evaluate the effectiveness of the broadband and the impact of mobile network accessibility (MNA).
The Committee assessed the communications infrastructure, offices and the services of NaTCA, UADF and SALPOST in Port Loko, Bo, Kenema and Moyamba Districts respectively.
In his overall statements, the Parliamentary Chairperson Hon. Boston Munda commended both Parliament and the Government for supporting the committee to carryout its activities as prescribed in the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Hon. Munda highlighted the mandate and work of the committee. Munda said they were out to have firsthand information on the operational activities of various entities that are under their supervision.
The sole aim was to know if entities’ mandates, services, compliance on regulations are met and whether they have achievements or challenges to report on.
In Port Loko District, the committee visited the burnt office of SALPOST and convened stakeholders meeting and resolved SALPOST land dispute with a landowner.
In Bo District, the Committee visited the Postal Service and the National Telecommunication Authority respectively.
At the Postal Service, the Acting Post Master, Mr. Willey Davies, explained to the Committee how they had received letters from Freetown which were sent to Bo District.
He explained the process of receipts and dispatch of these letters and other items to the four sections in Bo District.
He also highlighted the challenges of the postal service including the distributions of letters and cleaning of the facilities.
“We received and dispatch letters across the country,” he said.
At the National Telecommunication Authority in Bo, the Acting Manager engineer Mohamed Kembeh, said they had been doing constant monitoring on the spot checks to MNOs, Internet Service Providers (ISPs),radios and TV stations to check for quality broadcasting services.
He said they also monitored the frequency spectrum payment and also did a community outreach on community education of cyber security.
The Head of NaTCA in Bo also noted the delays granting police clearance in accessing call log requests to MNOs for cybercrime investigations.
In terms of challenges, he said, they often use their private vehicle to conduct official activities of the office and informed the Committee about some cyber related arrests.
He expressed their frustration over lack of having equipment to monitor the operational activities.
In Kenema Post Office, postal delivery staff, Prince Foday, explained to the Committee that only two retired staff are working in the Postal Service and narrated on the deplorable working conditions of staff of the postal office.
On visiting the National Telecommunication Authority in Kenema the Committee appeared very displeased at the overall management of the activities.
They observed that the manager Mr. Lamin Lahai was adversely affecting operation there.
Similar sentiments of lack of monitoring equipment were also shared by the manager.
“Equipment to monitor the operational activities of teclomms are totally absent,” Mr. Lamin reveal.
Mr. Lamin said in the process of monitoring, they found out that sim cards were sold without going due process of the law.
Both heads of NaTCA in Bo and Kenema presented huge quantities of unregistered sims sold by agents to customers without going through the due process.
The Committee observed that only Qcell had the least amount of confiscated sims. According to the head in Kenema, Qcell sim sale agents had more complaints.
In Moyamba district in Yoyema community, the Committee joined the rural telephone project which was symbolically launched by Orange-SL with the theme, “Expanding to the Underserved and Unnerved.”
Making his submission on the occasion Hon.Boston Munda expressed gratitude over the initiative and admonished the community people to take care of the project tower and secure it for the general good.
The chairman explained the roles and functions of MPs which are: law-making, constituency representation and oversight role.
He said most of the benefits Sierra Leoneans are getting are due to the passage of some positive laws by parliament.
He called on the minister to support the Universal Access Development Fund (UADF) to implement more projects for the deprived communities in the country.
Parliamentary and Public Relations Department
Parliament of Sierra Leone
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