Liberia needs $60 Million
-To move from analogue to digital
The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Dr. Frederick Norkeh, has said here that Liberia would need $60 Million to migrate from analog to digital communication in compliance with IPU standards.
Minister Norkeh stressed that it is time that Liberia migrates from analog to digital to enhance its communication sector.
The Post Master General said migrating from analog to digital stage will get Liberia on par with other countries in offering better communication services to its people.
He said the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has been working on series of projects that would eventually revolutionize to the communication industry here, but extreme budgetary constraint is impeding the process, and could stop the government from achieving its goal of migrating from analog to digital.
Addressing reporters Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Capitol Hill, Dr. Nokeh pointed out that if Liberia doesn’t migrate to digital communication the country could face series of difficulties, as foreign partners would use as a dumpsite for unwanted internet materials under the guise of donating to the country.
The Minister said $60 Million is actually needed to decentralize the digital system in all 15 counties.
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He also disclosed that Liberia lacks an address system that would cover the entire country, adding that an address system is essential to any country because it helps people to have easy access to the whereabouts of relatives and friends.
Minister Nokeh stressed that having a proper address system will put the country on the right trajectory.
“Our mandate giving is to promote and monitor every communication institution in the country”, the Post Master General explained.
He challenged the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning that it won’t be able to collect all government real estate taxes from citizens because most of houses in the country are not coded, saying, “We were only able to number 2,266 houses in Congo Town, which is not good for the country, because every house supposed to have a number or postal address.”
By Lewis S. Teh
