Help us remove impediments to achieve broadband goal, NCC tells govs

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on state governors to assist it in achieving the 30 percent broadband penetration target by 2018.

The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo,  made the call during an interview with newsmen in Lagos late last week, on the sideline of the 2017 Dinner and Awards of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Ojobo was awarded the ”PR Personality of the year 2017” by the NIPR.

He said that the governors and their various agencies should assist by ensuring easy approval for Right of Way (RoW) for the deployment of infrastructure.

According to him, the industry has challenges of deployment of base stations in the states because of the issue of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

“A lot of approvals are delayed, in terms of siting base stations in the states this year. We have had base stations shut down, we also have had issues with the Rights of Way.

“There had been reluctance with the various agencies under various levels of government to give approval as quickly as possible for the deployment of infrastructure.

“The Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umar Danbatta, has made a presentation at the Governors Forum on how these challenges are actually contributing to the poor quality of service, and that there is a need for us to have the pervasive rollout of base stations.

“Pervasive base stations deployment can narrow the areas that don’t have coverage so that the issue of access and broadband penetration target can be realised.

“Unless we do that, we will keep having challenges in being able to meet with the government policy of 30 percent by 2018,” he said.

Ojobo said that by 2018, it was expected that the country would have 30 percent broadband penetration, but some of the challenges were slowing down the process.

“But we believe that in 2018, some of these challenges will be tackled, especially as governors are beginning to appreciate the importance of these infrastructures in their states.

“We believe that these challenges will begin to fizzle out,” he said.

On his award as the PR Personality of the year, Ojobo said it was a call to do more in his responsibilities.

“I want to thank God for this award. It is humbling when you are recognised by your professional group for contributions to the professional practice of public relations in Nigeria.

‘I dedicate this award to God and to the Nigerian Communications Commission that has given me the platform to realise my potentials, in terms of the ways I carry out my responsibilities,” he said.