Speaking in Kampala on Tuesday, during MTN Uganda’s handover of its 1 per cent commitment levy to the commission, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi, the UCC executive director, said the commission seeks to leverage investment in rural areas where they are socially desirable but not economically viable.
The Communication Act (1997) under which UCC was established, mandates the commission to, among others, establish and operate a Universal Access Fund for the growth of rural communications.
The scheme requires players to annually submit 1 per cent of their revenue after a review and certification of their audited books. On Tuesday MTN Uganda submitted Shs7.8 billion to the commission indicating that the telecommunications giant posted a profit of Shs78 billion in the 2010 financial year.
The fund is used in the development of internet communications and extension of public pay phones in rural areas.
The scheme has also been used to help about 500 governments –aided schools in acquiring ICT laboratories so as to increase access to and usage of ICT in secondary schools.
Source: Daily Monitor News
