Congo: Léon Juste Ibombo demands corrections to the shortcomings noted on the Congo-Gabon fiber optic network
January 27th 2020
Léon Juste Ibombo, the Congolese Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, took stock of the implementation of the Central African Backbone (CAB) project, in its African Bank component (ADB), January 22, 2020.
During this meeting, he denounced the failure of the Congo-Gabon fiber optic interconnection network, put into service in 2017, in taking over the country’s Internet connection following the cut in the WACS a few days ago. A failure that stems from numerous negligence observed in the deployment of this telecoms infrastructure.
According to the reports provided by the delegate, Léon Juste Ibombo declares that the “serious negligence” noted during the construction of the Congo-Gabon network includes the deployment of infrastructure without protective sheaths, excavations constructed without taking into account uses, cables exposed to the open air without protection which have caused acts of vandalism.
For the Minister, who called for a rapid correction of all these errors to ensure that the CAB Congo-Gabon section fulfills its objective of improving telecom services in quality and quantity, it is essential that these shortcomings serve as a warning in the construction of the Congo-Cameroon and Congo-CAR interconnection, as well as the national data center.
Apart from the shortcomings to be corrected on the Congo-Gabon network, he also summoned the CAB Congo project coordination unit to comply with the administrative nomenclature set.
“Meetings with the various stakeholders were organized by your project coordination unit without the minister being involved. Worse, no report has been written to that effect. It came back to us that the controller is here in Brazzaville with another partner of the project without us being informed, and without having come to present the courtesies to the minister responsible, “ denounced the minister. He summoned the CAB coordination unit to now systematically refer to his supervisory authority, the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy for all activities.
Source: Agence Ecofin Back