ESCCOM & Central Statistics Office Present ICT Access and Usage Survey Report

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By Ntokozo Nkambule

The Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) and the Central Statistics Office have presented the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Access and Usage Survey Report for validation.

Worth mentioning is that in 2019 the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) nominated the CSO and ESCCOM as the national focal point and alternate national ICT observatory.

When making his address during the event, ESCCOM Chief Executive (CE), Mvilawemphi Dlamini noted that the Survey being presented was a key milestone of the MoU, and ESCCOM took it upon itself to coordinate and lead the discussions, collaborations, funding, and developments of the ICT Access and Use Survey.

Dlamini said the Survey is the first in the country and seeks to establish the baseline on the level of access and usage of ICT services at household and individual levels.

The CE said the findings of the survey will play an instrumental role in informing the formulation of national programmes, policies, and strategies aimed at promoting increased access to the use of ICTs and market development and also further encouraging private sector participation.

“The survey is critical in ensuring that key statistical information is provided which will monitor key monitoring performance indicators of Eswatini’s ICT market. The results of the Survey will further include recommendations related to increasing access and the use of ICTs in the country,” the CE noted.

The CSO in its presentation revealed that the results of the survey will be presented at the national, rural and urban, and regional levels.

“Our task as the CSO is to produce statistics that are reliable, accurate, relevant, and timely. The timeliness of these statistics cannot be overemphasized. As such we will ensure that the results of this survey are disseminated to all relevant practitioners which include researchers, journalists, media personnel, decision-makers, and planners at both national and international levels.”

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