2)–ICTs key to economic development

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ICTs key to economic development

Nakonde, Aug 12, 2014, ZANIS… Nakonde District Commissioner James Singoy says information and communication technologies (ICTs) are a key engine for economic growth and social development.

Mr. Singoyi said this yesterday in a speech read on his behalf by the District Administrative Officer Evans Mpande at a public forum organized by Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) in Nakonde.

Mr. Singoyi said Zambia has made significant steps in the development of the ICT sector unlike in the past where ICTs were regarded as a status symbol and mainly restricted to a few people.

He disclosed that Zambia has achieved 80 percent of mobile signal coverage with 75 percent of the population having access to mobile cellular services.

The District Commissioner said in order to extend the ICT service the government through ZICTA has embarked on the construction of 169 GSM mobile communication towers in areas that are not serviced.

He added that the construction of the 169 mobile communication towers will be completed in October, 2014 and 500 more communication towers will be constructed in 2015 to cover the entire country.

Mr. Singoyi further added that the government through ZICTA has developed a draft National Strategy on Child Online Protection (COP) to protect children from illicit and harmful online content.

He said it has become common for children to exchange provocative material through social media such as whatsapp and facebook and that the Government was committed to preventing such acts in order  to protect young people.

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