A section of Members of Parliament are concerned with delayed return of airtime scratch cards.
On Tuesday, January 29, the lawmakers demanded answers from ICT Minister Hon Frank Tumwebaze as to why the telecom regulator UCC hadn’t reinstated use of these cards.
The MPs’ concerns premise on the poor network upcountry which bars the users from accessing the e-services.
UCC, last year in July banned use of these cards in favour of easy load and mobile money airtime.
However, the e-service is interrupted by poor network in rural areas.
Against that backdrop Minister Tumwebaze told Parliament that he would convince UCC to restore the scratch cards and operate concurrently with E-service.
Paul Akamba, an Independent legislator representing Busika said that banning airtime scratch cards and replacing them with mobile airtime easy load in upcountry areas was inconveniencing.
“The Minister responded in a statement and concluded that he is given some more time and a dialogue is organized for MPs to attend and voice their issues,” Akamba said.
“People deep down in the villages cannot access mobile airtime easy load because of the inconsistent network and inconsistent power supply; one needs a charged mobile phone to operate easy load,” Akamba added.
Hon. Henry Kibalya the NRM MP for Bugabula South telecom companies thought that easy load would be more convenient forgetting that airtime vouchers are easier to circulate.
“The airtime vouchers can be bought in bulk and re-circulated without the need of a charged phone with network, something that is crucial in remote areas,” he said.
The Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, instructed the Minister of ICT and National Guidance to issue a statement on Thursday explaining the failure of the telecommunication networks to reinstate airtime scratch cards.
