THE Government has invested more than 170bn/- in the National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) implemented by the HUAWEI Tanzania, to enhancethe country's push into competitive digital economy.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Information Technology, Dr Jim Yonazi, said the investment will push the country's competitiveness into the digital economy.
He made the revelation in Dodoma recently, while handing over certificates to some 114 Tanzanian graduates trained by Huawei Tanzania on how to operate and maintain the plant.
"With good cooperation, and Huawei Tanzania being a team player, the government has invested a lot of money and we have always been talking about digital economy; your performance in this ICT infrastructure will help the country to move and reach into digital economy, let alone keeping pace with new developments.
"This six-week training you sponsored in developing and ensuring ICT infrastructures are technologically up to date in Tanzania is splendid and necessary, because we expect to use the NICTBB infrastructures to build the competitive digital economy that will bring direct productivity to our country," Dr Yonazi said.
Hailing Huawei Tanzania for the spirit of empowering Tanzanians with the skills, Dr Yonazi further noted that the training will help the graduates to maintain and operate NICTBB transmission and power plants locally with patriotism instead of hiring foreign experts, adding: "Our youth as experts will also be at a position to as well advice the government on the best way to operate and develop it."
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Elaborating, Dr Yonazi said that the government has invested more than 170bn/- in the NICTBB project thus graduates should ensure they provide all their best in operating and maintaining the plant, so it helps to push the country's economy into competitive digital economy.
On his part, Huawei Tanzania Deputy Managing Director, Mr Tom Tao said that the NICTBB power and equipment plants training was the basis of building Tanzania digital economy and will usher in an era of efficiency and speedy operation of the ICT industry in the country.
"It will trigger innovations within the industry, because Broad Band ICT infrastructures are the basement of digital economy and all the innovations are based on speed network, which help in building digital economy in Tanzania," he said.
In his address, NICTBB Project Consultant, Mr Emmanuel Nagulwa, said that the government expects the scheme to start operations from this month, adding that the graduates will be needed to operate, manage and maintain the NICTBB plants competently and locally and in turn provide reliable quality services to customers.
"We will hand over the NICTBB plants to them (read government) so as to start operations this month and we expect their best and quality services in developing and pushing our nation's digital economy," he pointed out.
Huawei Tanzania is the main ICT infrastructures' suppliers of equipment and service technology.
