The parliamentary Standing Specialized Committee on Information, Telecommunication and Postal Services, chaired by Hon. Oliver Mori Benjamin, convened with the Director General of the National Communication Authority, Rizik Dominic Samuel, to address challenges facing communication service providers, including difficulties accessing hard currency from the Central Bank of South Sudan, rising fuel prices and the depreciation of the South Sudanese Pound. Samuel called on Parliament to support the National Communication Authority by engaging the Central Bank to facilitate access to foreign currency, review taxes and provide exemptions on imported communication materials and equipment. He added that the Authority is working to ensure operators do not shut down more than 90 communication sites across Upper Nile and Bahr el Ghazal regions. Oliver Mori Benjamin said Parliament would not allow communication operators to suspend services, stressing that maintaining connectivity remains important as the country prepares for elections scheduled for December this year.
