In its press statement yesterday, National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) announced its collaboration with other Government agencies like Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Corning Optical Communications and ADVA SE to kick-start the pilot phase of the Electricity and Fiber to The Village (EFTTV) project in Buhesi sub-county in Bunyangabu district in Western Uganda.
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This project combines the concept of availing electricity and internet connectivity to Ugandans in rural areas of Western Uganda. Cost-effectiveness is achieved by creating such a framework that simultaneously increases people’s connectivity to broadband internet while providing access to electricity.
The project provides unlimited internet connectivity and also emphasizes the need to train a select group of people that will participate in a monitoring and evaluation exercise to ascertain the impact of this project.
NITA-U Executive Director Dr. Hatwib Mugasa at the event said, “Let me thank our partners The Uganda Communications Commission through its Rural Communication Development Fund, the Rural Electrification Agency, Corning Optical Communications, and ADVA SE. Today we have demonstrated how Government agencies are harmoniously working together to improve efficiency in providing services to Ugandans”.
He further went on to say, “The Government of Uganda through NITA-U has so far laid more than 4000 kilometers of fiber across 49 districts and connected 609 sites to the network. We are currently implementing the last mile Project which will connect more than 700 sites including Government offices, hospitals, schools, and other installations. The project we are launching today presents yet another opportunity for the Government of Uganda to further expand internet connectivity.”
Beneficiaries of the NITA-U project
A number of schools, Government offices, and hospitals in Western Uganda are going to benefit from this project and they include Kiyombya Sub County Headquarters, Kioyambya Health Centre III, Buheesi Town Council, and Buheesi Senior Secondary School.
In 2020, there were 10.67 million Ugandans connected to the internet out of the 42.72 million Ugandans. These numbers increased by 357,000 from 2019. The government hopes to boost these numbers with the implementation of such projects.
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