The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
Government has made a number of interventions to reduce the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic by improving the accessibility of digital services by outlying communities.
This was said by Information and Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Jenfan Muswere while launching a Community Information Centre (CIC) in Raffingora, Mashonaland West on Friday.
“Covid-19 has exposed the need for universal access among all our people including those in remote unserved and underserved areas. In response, our Ministry instructed the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) to put in place a raft of interventions under the ICTs for Disaster Management (ICT4DM) Programme, to cushion members of the public from the effects of the pandemic,” said Minister Muswere.
“We have made it a priority for POTRAZ to ensure that at least 1500 rural health centres are connected to the Internet by 31 December 2021.
“We also expect the Authority to connect at least 1500 rural schools to the Internet by 31 December 2021. All the connected institutions will also be provided with bandwidth for at least 6 months.”
Speaking at the same event, POTRAZ director general Dr Gift Machengete said can be used to advance e-commerce as they enable rural based businesses to reach new markets, promote products and services globally, and access critical business and financial information.
“Raffingora is a predominately farming community and the benefits that this centre will bring to the farmers are enormous,” he said.
“Through the Internet, farmers can access relevant information about prevailing market trends, which would assist them in appropriately planning their operations.
“Online research can also be done on latest and more efficient farming methods which may help farmers cut costs and increase productivity.”
Through CICs, it is expected that communities will soon benefit from the e-government project where they will be able to apply for passports, identity particulars, birth certificates, death certificates and burial orders among other essential Government issued documents.
Mashonaland West currently has 21 CICs.
