Every telecom infrastructure is critical national asset – Danbatta

By Chioma Obinagwam

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said all telecom infrastructure across the country are critical national assets.

Danbatta spoke recently at Sapele, Delta State at a sensitisation forum focused on the imperative of protecting telecom infrastructure.

In a paper presented on his behalf by Venny Eze-Nwabufoh, Controller of NCC Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Danbatta said all citizens should see telecom infrastructure as a critical national asset because of the centrality of telecoms to the effective delivery of services in all other sectors of the economy.

The Executive Vice Chairman said the overarching mandate of the Commission is to promote the provision of modern, universal, efficient, reliable, affordable and easily accessible communication services in Nigeria and to carry out this duty efficiently, the Commission requires the support of all stakeholders towards the protection of telecom Infrastructure which are essentially physical and virtual assets designed for telecommunication networks that connect cities, towns, highways and also link to other countries.

Danbatta noted that it has become necessary to reiterate the importance of critical infrastructure because the telecom industry has experienced a lot of setbacks as a result of willful damages of telecoms facilities and other damages caused by those involved in road construction and repairs.

The NCC Chief Executive affirmed that these incidents have implications for quality of telecomservices and therefore appealed to participants at the forum to prevent vandalism of telecommunication facilities in their respective communities.