Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) Executive Director Godfrey Mutabazi has defended government’s move to phase out airtime scratch cards, saying that they are cancerous.
Mutabazi along with ICT minister Frank Tumwebaze, and his Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire and others were appearing before the Information Communication Technology (ICT) committee headed by Annet Nyakecho( Tororo North) to explain about the controversial government’s ban on airtime scratch cards and replacing it with electronic recharge system.
In his submission, Mutabazi said that the country stands at a huge risk of more exposure to cancer for using their fingers to scratch airtime scratch cards and that the only cure to this is to use electronic recharge system where users buy airtime through mobile money or agents who use electronic systems.
“There was a study showing that scratching airtime cards using fingers leads to cancer. So these scratch cards are cancerous. Remember they are not made here [in Uganda] so we are a dumping ground. Uganda should embrace opportunities offered by electronic recharge which will translate into cash-less economy. Electronic recharge has improved the process of tracing the vendors, customers who procure airtime electronically to curb crime. Above all, electronic recharge also improves revenue collection because it is easy for URA to track how much airtime has been sold,” Mutabazi said.
Unverified reports indicate that some fake scratch cards contain Silver Nitro Oxide coating which can cause skin cancer.
Indeed, it is not surprising that MPs sitting on the ICT committee overwhelmingly supported government’s move to ban airtime scratch cards.
“We are creating a lot of waste to this country. We are going to bring cancer here and then cry of cancer machine. This is the right thing to do. The same way I send mobile money to the constituency is the same way the person can transfer this money to airtime or data,” Ayivu County MP Benard Atiku said.
“The comparative advantages of electronic recharge system outweigh the need for scratch cards. We should go digital, it will help in security matters, but if UCC doesn’t check abuses, we will not achieve our goal,” Maracha East MP James Acidiri said.
