The President of the Association of Telecommunications, Information Technology, Cable Satellite Network Operators and Allied Services Employers of Nigeria (ATICEN), Comrade Adede John-Williams, has charged the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to be more practical and less of being rhetoric in his dealing.
According to the ATICEN boss, information technology and telecommunications sector is not about reeling out various figures that do not exist but involves technicality and practicality for the stakeholders to see what he has done in the sector.
John-Williams noted that since the Federal Government through the minister announced its 90,000-kilometre fibre project, the minister had not come out with how the project would be executed.
He said the minister was supposed to have called the core stakeholders to deliberate with them on the best way to actualise the project.
“We expect the minister to be more practical,to be up and doing this year. He should have called the real experts on the industry on the best way to execute the project.
There are various local companies who can do the project perfectly. How many not them has he consulted? How many stakeholders meetings has he called? He cannot continue to be talking on the social media all the time, he should put thing into practice.
“This sector is not like financial sector and some others where they quote different figures both real and unreal, in this sector, you have to show people what you have done,” he said.
The President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Tony Emoekpere, had also called for the inclusion of local companies in the implementation of the federal government’s 90,000-kilometre fibre project.
According to him, involving local companies in the project would help to deepen local content in the telecom industry and also serve as support for indigenous players in the industry.
“We’ve heard the government talk about the national fiber-optic project, through which they plan to deploy 90,000 kilometers.
“We are looking forward to the actualisation this year and we will want the government to ensure that they involve local companies in that project to support local content,” he said.
Apart from this, John-Williams said he expected the minister to have one something visible about the controversial Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).
The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and universal service to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural, un-served and underserved areas in Nigeria.
There were allegations that the fund was mismanaged by the former executives. In 2023, the House of Representatives resolved to investigate the utilisation of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
It resolved to investigate the funds due to the non-provision of mobile telecommunication services to underserved areas despite millions of dollars spent.
In 2024, Senate approved N17 billion for the USPF. John-Williams said the minister should have presented what he has done so far with the fund being the chairman of the Fund.
He also charged the minister to showcase what he has done since he assumed office for the development of the sector, claiming that the minister has not down enough in the practical aspect of the industry.
He urged him to engage the experts by calling the real stakeholders meeting to chart the way forward. According to him, “this sector requires him to engage the real experts in the industry.
He cannot do it alone, he has to call the real stakeholders, discuss with them on the best way to achieve the goals. The sector is full of experts, those who really know the core of the industry. We expect him to do this.
Though he is trying in saying things to be done, he is not doing enough in the practical aspect to actualise the projects, and that is what we need to move the sector forward.”
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