The Minister for Information, Communication, Technology and National Guidance, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi has unveiled authorities plans to increase web connectivity to all sub-counties by way of a mortgage acquired from the Exim Bank of China.
Baryomunsi stated that with the US$150 million, authorities will transcend its ministries, departments, businesses (MDAs) and district headquarters) to attach all sub-counties to the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI).
“This is important for making certain that every one areas profit from the digital economic system. Last mile connectivity, the ultimate phase connecting the NBI to end-users is important in attaining complete entry to e-Government companies,” Baryomunsi stated.
Baryomunsi made this revelation as he offered an announcement on the 2 tasks underneath the ministry aimed toward growing web connectivity by way of building of optical fiber cables and accelerating digital methods in authorities entities.
This was the sitting of the House chaired by Speaker Anita Among on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
The 2022 Uganda Digital Acceleration Project (UDAP)is funded by the World Bank to a tune of US$ 200 million of which US$60 million is a grant, whereas Phase V of National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) venture commissioned in 2023 is funded by the Exim Bank of China at a value of US$150 million.
Baryomunsi informed MPs that authorities has to date coated a complete distance of 4,298.87KM of optical fiber cable with the National Backbone Infrastructure connecting 1,567 MDAs, hospitals, districts and different goal teams to excessive velocity web.
Under the UDAP Project, authorities plans to increase optical fiber cable to cowl an extra 63 districts, construct 21 transmission websites and prolong final mile connectivity to 2,800 websites throughout the nation.
The Minister prided within the elevated entry to digital authorities companies comparable to Integrated Financial Management Services (IFMS), e-government Procurement system (e-GP), e-Passport, e-visa, Health Management Information System (HMIS), Education Management Information System (EDMIS) and Parish Development Model Online system (PDMIS).
“Government has witnessed a major improve within the adoption and use of e-services which has elevated effectivity inside authorities and improved public service supply to residents. We will profit from extra economies of scale and produce the price of web bandwidth additional down,” Baryomunsi stated.
Parliament learnt that at the least 10 main border factors of Uganda with its neighbouring international locations have been linked to boost entry to companies comparable to customs clearance, immigration and e-Visa functions which has eased communication.
MPs expressed issues that a number of the 300wi-fi hotspots reported within the minister’s assertion can’t be accessed, and questioned the worth for over 800 Wi-Fi hotspots within the pipeline.
“I need the minister to search for MyUg Wi-Fi hotspot and see if it connects, it isn’t working but it is likely one of the hotspots meant to serve city centres,” stated Kalangala District Woman MP, Hon. Helen Nakimuli.
Nakimuli counseled authorities for its plans to increase web infrastructure to the island districts which she stated at the moment have unhealthy community.
She requested authorities to make sure coordination among the many ministries in control of highway building and ICT to make sure that set up of web cables and masts is coherent.
Hon. Dickens Kateshumba (Indep., Sheema Municipality) requested the minister to contemplate monitoring the influence of the 2 tasks, saying elevated web connectivity ought to translate into elevated manufacturing amongst different improvement indicators.
“You have indicated in certainly one of your loans, 47 per cent has been spent however your assertion is basically a procurement exercise. As Parliament, we might have an interest within the influence when it comes to entry, affordability and the advantages on which the loans had been premised,” Kateshumba stated.
