Govt to ban copper exports by individuals

Aug 14, 2007

THE Government plans to ban individuals from exporting copper following massive theft of copper wires belonging to uganda telecom.

By Paul Kiwuuwa

THE Government plans to ban individuals from exporting copper following massive theft of copper wires belonging to uganda telecom.

The Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Dr. Ham Mulira, yesterday said companies which have clean track records would be licensed to export copper to ensure that brief case companies are not involved in the business.

“Copper wires are stolen, smelt and exported. About 4,000 customers who use fixed lines are disconnected countrywide because the wires were stolen.

“Uganda telecom hired the Police to guard places where there are copper wires, but the thefts are still rampant,” the company secretary, Donald Nyakairu, told The New Vision yesterday.

Mulira told the information and communications technology parliamentary committee, headed by Edward Baliddawa (NRM), that the Police and other security agencies would investigate the thefts countrywide.

According to the International Trade Centre statistics (2001-2005), Uganda exported copper worth $1,000 (about 1.7m) in 2001.

Baliddawa told Mulira that the committee received a complaint from Nyakairu about the theft of the copper wires. This has affected the operations of uganda telecom, he added.

The MTN company secretary, Anthony Katamba, told the MPs that the optic fibre network had been interrupted by road repairs.

“Optic fibre helps to increase the speed of data transmission and the volumes of data that can be transmitted in a cheaper and easier way. Companies which carry out road repairs in Kampala have unearthed the fibre,” Katamba said
“We want all stakeholders in road construction to identify telecommunication cables, electricity, water pipes before excavating the roads,” he said.

Uganda telecom is a telecommunications company which offers fixed lines, internet and mobile phone services.

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