8. UNIVERSAL ACCESS
8.1 INTRODUCTION
The Government is committed to ensuring that ICT services are available
throughout the country and will support the universal service availability
and the widest access to such services.
By the year 2003, 90 percent of the population had access to public free-to-air
radio broadcasting services and 50 percent had access to free-to-air television
broadcasting services. The total teledensity stood at 8 telephones per 100
inhabitants. There were 920 post office outlets in the country giving a ratio of
one post office for every 36,000 inhabitants against the Universal Postal Union
target of 6,000 inhabitants for every post office.
In order to increase the level of access to ICTs, the Government will provide
the enabling environment for the private sector to play a complementary role
towards achieving universal access targets.
8.2 POLICY OBJECTIVES
The universal access policy objectives are:
a) ensuring that all citizens have access to ICT services;
b) ensuring that basic ICT services are made available at an affordable
price;
c) promoting the availability of widespread access to internet services;
and
d) ensuring that relevant education and training programmes allow
everyone to maximize the opportunities afforded by ICT technologies
to improve the quality of their lives and to enhance their work
prospects.
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