Reps probe non-patronage of Nigeria’s multi billion satellite

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8 years ago

House of Representatives

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday mandated the Committee on Information Communication Technology to investigate the cause of non-patronage of the multi billion Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited, proffer solutions to it and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by Honourable Danasabe Hosea entitled, “Need to Investigate the Non Patronage of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT)”.

The lawmaker recalled that the Federal Government had contracted Kosmo – 3m Rocket from Russian Plesetsk Spaceport to launch its first Earth Observation Satellite, the Nigeria – 1 on September 17, 2003, at the cost of ₦30 million.

He added that, “Nigcomsat – 1 Communications Satellite was launched in China at the cost of ₦200 million, but it failed in orbit in 2008 after running out of power, owing to an anomaly in its solar array.

The Federal Government he added that, had, since 2003, spent about ₦85 billion on five Satellites which were meant to provide communication data and images for government agencies and the private sector with the aim of saving billions of foreign exchange and generating revenues estimated at $ 20 billion for the country.

Speaking further, he said that Nigcomsat – IR was relaunched in 2011 at no extra cost while Nigeria sat-2 and Nigeria sat X Satellite, which was built at a cost of $35 million was launched in the same year.

He however raised concerned that “the Multi-Billion Naira Communication Satellites are under-utilized in space due to low patronage by Government agencies and private companies which continue to spend money running into billions of Naira to procure satellite images from other Service Providers, services which Nigeria’s Satellite could supply, thereby depleting our foreign reserves.

“Nigcomsat IR has effective signal coverage of the entire country and the West African sub-region, and if Federal and States Government agencies are mandated to subscribe with the Nigerian Communications Satellite for their satellite services, the billions of Naira being expended for their satellite images needs will be conserved”, he stated.

The motion scaled through when it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara.