The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, has revealed that the draft document on the Executive Order that would protect Telecommunications Infrastructure in the country is now before president Muhammadu Buhari for approval.
Pantami made made the revelation today, while presenting a keynote address at an ICT event organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
The minister’s disclosure would gladden ICT operators and the telecom regulator,the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),which over the years have been clamouring that for the protection of ICT facilities from vandals and thieves.
According to Patami the protection of the rights of citizens and consumers was of utmost priority to the Federal Government, especially those who were struggling.
He said, “The ministry is currently working on a policy that will reinforce existing Executive Orders 003 and 005, to ensure that priority is given to indigenous manpower and expertise.
“In the ministry we always try to strike a balance by protecting the interest of consumers and citizens on one hand and the telecoms companies on the other…,” he said.
He explained that in order to create an enabling environment for both investors and consumers, the government had intervened by enacting policies to protect telecommunications infrastructure.
In is welcome address ATCON president Mr Olusola Teniola said the recently launched National Broadband Plan 2020 to 2025, the unveiling of a National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and the constitution of Implementation and Steering Committee for the plan, would empower Nigerians (consumers) to take advantage of the Nigerian digital economy.
He said the interdependence and collaboration among the
government, telecom and ICT Companies and Nigerians are clearly necessary but each of separate stakeholder has limitations and potentials hence the forum is expected to make an attempt to address the challenges and turn them to advantage for the development of our Telecom and ICT Sector in the era of COVID-19 and Post COVID-19 Pandemic
