Yusuphu Crooks
Following the suspension by the Sierra Leone authorities of three of the country's Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the World Bank has threatened to suspend the country from further assistance in this area.
The government's fibre optic regulator, SALCAB, suspended AFRICELL, AFCOM and Lime Line in late December for alleged default on regularising their status and paying their fees.
In a letter dated 27 December 2013, the World Bank Sierra Leone Country Director, Yusupha Crooks (who is based in Ghana), says the government must revert by end of January 2014 to the agreement it signed in December 2012 with clients in the internet business or the Bank will suspend its support.
It was the Bank that provided funds for the landing of the fibre optic submarine cable which is operated by SALCAB. But it is now unhappy with the Government's handling of affairs.
A Bank mission that was supposed to visit the country this month has been called off in apparent protest, pending a positive feedback from the Government.
If the Bank does suspend Sierra Leone from its e-system, "it will have a serious policy reversal for the country which could have dire consequences" a Bank source in Washington told Politico. The source said it would also mean a suspension of the country's planned e-governance system which aims at improving and easing governance in the country, and that other donors would rethink their dealings with the country "as an unreliable partner".
The apparent disagreement between the Breton Wood institution and the government borders on control of the country's gateway which the latter had agreed to liberalise last year under "international best practice" agreed with the Bank.
But the government put off the deadline by six months which the Bank vehemently opposed. A SALCAB source is now questioning the prudence of the liberalisation of the gateway. He told Politico in a privileged discussion that the current system Sierra Leone was operating had worked in many other countries.
Minister of Communication, Alpha Kanu said he had not seen the Bank's letter and would therefore not comment about it. He referred Politico to the Minister of Finance who could not be reached.
In December SALCAB deactivated the services of three ISPs and its Managing Director, Mohamed Sheriff told Politico that they were plugged off because they failed to pay their fees and fill out the new client forms.
Foday Sankoh, the head of Lime Line said his company would not operate under any new terms and conditions as the one they had gone into under the former Minister of Communication Ibrahim Ben Kargbo was still valid. He accused the government of brinkmanship and protectionism. He said government was propping up a rival company he alleged was operating illegally, as it not registered.
(C) Politico 14/01/14
