TYPOGRAPHY
THE government has insisted that it will not extend the deadline for switching-off substandard mobile phone handsets which has been set for June 16, this year.
“The decision to switch-off the handsets at midnight on June 16 this year still stands. We cannot compromise the health and security of our people,” Deputy Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Engineer Edwin Ngonyani said in the National Assembly yesterday.
Eng Ngonyani was prompted to make the stand after Mwibara MP Kangi Lugola (CCM) had proposed to the Deputy Speaker Dr Tulia Ackson to suspend ongoing business of the House and discuss the shut down as a matter of urgency.
“Honourable Deputy Speaker, many people are going to be affected by the government decision; I thus request that we should suspend the business of the House and discuss this issue,” Mr Lugola said as he sought the guidance of the Chair based on Standing Order number 47.
The MP went on to claim that a number of legislators had raised the issue when the ministry was presenting its budget estimates for financial year 2016/2017 but the government fell short of giving a clear explanation.
At this juncture, the Deputy Speaker asked the government to respond to the motion put forward by the Mwibara legislator. In response, Eng Ngonyani explained that the decision by the government was based on two grounds, namely health and security.
“Substandard mobile phone handsets pose serious health risks to users and they also pose security threat to the country since they can be used by criminals and cannot be traced,” the Deputy Minister explained.
Eng Ngonyani went on to add that a survey conducted in the country has revealed that about 70 per cent of mobile handsets are genuine, with the remaining 30 per cent reported to be of substandard.
The decision to switch-off the handsets was made by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to get rid of unsatisfactory handsets in the local market.
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