Local officials in Akobo County in Jonglei State on Monday announced the arrival of equipment to rehabilitate the MTN telephone network, noting that the service provider has not had telecommunication services in the area since the outbreak of war in the country in December 2013.
Akobo County Commissioner Bok Nyang told Radio Tamazuj that with the arrival of the necessary equipment on the ground, mobile telephone and internet services will be restored within a week or two. He said the people of Akobo will now be able to enjoy telecommunication services after nearly ten years.
“Zain’s network has been working but they do not have Internet services and their network is very weak,” the commissioner said.
Separately, he acknowledged that there is famine in Akobo due to the presence of refugees from Ethiopia, especially Sudanese refugees, and called on the national and state governments to open roads so that food can be supplied from Juba and Bor.
“Akobo is very far from the Nile River and the only way is by land,” Nyang stated. “Even the MTN network equipment was transported through the river from Juba via Bor.”