Kampala — Ten districts in northern Uganda will benefit from a $9.2m ICT fund provided under the second phase of the energy for rural transformation (ERT) project.

The money will be channeled through Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) who will oversee the extension of last mile broadband to trading centres and remote institutions in 16 sub counties in the 10 districts.

The benefiting districts include Lira, Gulu, Amolatar, Dokolo, Apac, Oyam, Pader, Kitgum, Amuru, and Adjumani.

The $9.2m is part of the $75m loan extended by the World Bank but currently awaiting parliamentary approval for the entire second phase of the ERT.

The director of UCC, Patrick Masambu, said private companies licensed to provide broadband in Uganda including ISPs will be selected by open public bidding to executive the project.

"We will pick capacity from the national backbone then extend it to the rural areas," said Masambu. Masambu said in instances and areas that the national backbone has not traversed, the project will seek alternatives routes.

"We will not totally rely on the backbone but will also go through the existing infrastructure of telecoms as well," said Masambu.

The national backbone project designed to wire the entire country with underground fibre cables has recently run into trouble with parliamentarians delaying the commencement of the second project demanding accountability.

Masambu said the selected operators will be required to provide public internet access points with atleast three computers and subsidised internet access to one school and health centre in each of the 16 sub counties.

"UCC will provide computer labs to 35 schools and 30 health centers selected from the areas where broad band services become available," said engineer Moses Murengenzi, who spoke for the ministry of energy permanent secretary at a workshop in Entebbe briefing legislators on the status quo of the project.

UCC will also provide subsidised internet access to the schools and health centers (free for the first year). UCC will also develop appropriate content for traders, teachers, health workers and farmers.

Under the Rural Electricity Agency (REA), ERT is looking to extend electricity coverage to the rural countryside by upto 10% by 2012 up from just 1% in 2001.

The ERT is a cross cutting project that funds different initiatives in several ministries all aimed at harnessing the available electricity grid to improve livelihoods.