The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Information and Communication yesterday paid visits to SIERRATEL, NATCOM and Leicester Peak.
The Committee’s first visit was at the SIERRATEL earth station at Wilberforce which also houses the gate way to communication.
The Committee Chairperson, Hon Veronica Sesay of the SLPP explained that their visit was to ascertain the functions of the institution, as they believed information dissemination was important.
The Minister of Information and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben- Kargbo told the Committee that SIERRATEL is a unit within the Ministry. He said the earth office houses the gate way which he referred to as been topical but complicated and scientific than the word itself.
The Board Chairman of SIERRATEL, Dr. Tom Kargbo expressed satisfaction with the performance of SIERRATEL so far; whilst the Managing Director Alpha Sesay said after the gate way issue was liberalized in 2006, it became topical.
He explained that with the help of their partner, TELTAC, the main satellite connectivity to the world with an additional link at the headquarters has helped greatly.
The Committee later visited the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) where they met with the Ag. General Manager, Saidu Turay, Frank Jarrett, Ibrahim Kabia and Banja Tejan- Sie.
Issues like reduction of tariffs, consumer protection, expansion of the network, the use of the mast and the units and minute system were discussed.
The Committee thereafter paid a visit to Leicester Peak where they made a conducted tour of the facilities.
By Ishmael Bayoh
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