Telecom infrastructure: Pantami writes state governors over lack of protection - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has written to some states’ governors over lack of protection for Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and specifically, the telecommunication infrastructure, saying it retards development in the domain, reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this to ITREALMS, the minister’s spokesperson, Uwa Suleiman said he had in an earlier intervention to bring this challenge to a permanent end, “written to all affected state chief executives in this regard, urging them to ensure that all agencies and residents, within their respective domains desist from these despicable acts.”

According to Pantami, in an era where development is tech-driven and the Federal Government is making concerted efforts to digitalise the economy, the actions of these unscrupulous elements strive to undermine the President’s Digital Economy Agenda and indeed, the overall development of the country.

“This wanton destruction and total disregard for CNI, must be stopped forthwith,” he declared.

Stressing that the Federal Government is doing all it could to ensure the security of the lives and properties of its citizens and will not condone any acts, that will jeopardise its efforts.

“All governors whose states are affected by this scourge, are respectfully reminded and encouraged, to immediately deploy strategies that will bring an end to it.

As Chief Security Officers (CSOs) of their various states, they are to ensure the immediate implementation of, and compliance with this directive and anyone who persists with this criminal act brought to book in accordance with the law,” Pantami was quoted as saying.

In a related development, Pantami has expressed concern about the obstruction and hinderance to the activities of MNOs, by some men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), thereby constituting a challenge to telecommunications services delivery.

Numerous complaints reaching the Minister’s office, she said, alleged that men of the service, especially around border towns where BTS are located, deny passage to petrol tank drivers, thereby denying them access to refuel generators supplying power to these base stations. The effects of these acts are a threat to national security and economic growth and cannot be ignored.

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, while applauding the revived efforts of the NCS in tackling the activities of smugglers, however, urges the service to direct its officers deployed to these locations, to identify and grant concession to genuine drivers carrying petroleum supplies to remote locations and are a critical link in the chain. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of President Muhammadu Buhari, is centred around a Digital Economy and the telecoms sector, occupies a central position in the scheme of things. It is of utmost importance that public institutions collaborate and form partnerships that will ensure the security and prosperity of all Nigerians.

The Federal Government assures stakeholders, operators and indeed all law abiding citizens, of its commitment to providing a safe business environment for investments to thrive.

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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Buhari-Governors meeting fallout: Impunity days, fiscal carelessness over

The President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja reiterated his resolve to work with the state Governors, but insisting that lack of accountability, impunity days, and fiscal carelessness in the running of national resources in the country, reports ITRealms.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina in a State House press statement available at the end of the meeting on Tuesday, June 23 to ITRealms, cautioned the state chief executives.

President Buhari who met with the governors led by Chairman, Governors Forum, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, at Presidential Villa, Asokoro Abuja, pledged to recover government funds in the hands of erstwhile government officials who violated the tenets of their offices by strategically stopping the leakages.

As said by Adesina, President Buhari advised the 36 state governors to adhere strictly to the financial and administrative instructions in every government parastatal and agency.

“… But all these were thrown to the dogs in the past. Honestly, our problems are great, but we will do our best to surmount them,” he said.

Pointing out that the next three months may be hard, “but billions of dollars can be recovered, and we will do our best.”

He expressed shock that the governors had tolerated the allegedly financial misappropriation with the Excess Crude Account since 2011, but promised to tackle the issue resolutely.

Particularly, President Buhari expressed display over the payment of national revenue into any other account than the Federation Account, which he said was a misuse of the constitution, citing an instance with the happenings at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and described it as absolutely unlawful.

On the refund of monies spent on federal projects by state governments, President Buhari assured the governors that the Federal Government will pay, but insisted that due process must be followed.

The President promised special assistance for the three North Eastern states badly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, stressing that a comprehensive statement on the economic and financial situation inherited by his administration will be made to the nation within the next one month.

He lamented that it is clear the incidences that led to the military intervention was obvious in the last dispensation.

"We will try and put the system back into the right position. What happened in the 2nd Republic has apparently happened again, and even worse, but we will restore sanity to the system," part of the press statement read.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 

 

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