Subscribers to the telecommunication company, MTN, in Fangak County in Jonglei State, have appealed to the company and the government to improve communication and internet services in their area.
The call comes just a week after the telecommunication giant resumed operations in New Fangak town since civil war erupted in the country in December 2013.
Several New Fangak Town residents told Radio Tamazuj that they do not access quality communication services because their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are not registered and that the lack of identification documents would be another hurdle even when registration points are available.
Dhuor Chwang Nyak complained that the majority of the town’s folk have not been able to register their SIM cards and have them activated.
“A few residents with friends and relatives in places like Malakal are asking their friends to have SIM cards registered on their behalf. The majority of residents have SIM cards that are not registered, meaning they cannot access MTN services,” he explained. “The problem is that we are in a remote part of the country and we are not able to get the National Identification Documents needed for registration.”
“I face this problem of not being able to use my SIM cards,” Chwang added.
Another resident, Bol Gac, appealed that they be exempted from the policy requiring subscribers to present identification documents before registration until a center for issuing such documents is opened in Fangak County.
Fangak County Commissioner Biel Boutros Biel acknowledged that residents are not able to have their SIM cards registered because they lack identification documents. He said the presentation of identification documents is necessary for security reasons and appealed to relevant national government agencies to open a center for issuing nationality certificates in the county.
For her part, Elizabeth Nyadak John Jok, the state information minister, said the concerns raised by Fangak residents were genuine and urged for patience, saying her office will engage the MTN management for a solution.
Radio Tamazuj could not immediately reach out to the MTN for a comment.