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President Muhammadu Buhari
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The
sale of the national telecommunications carrier – Nigeria Telecommunications
Company (NITEL) – last December by the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration for
US$252m is to be probed. The company was
bought by NATCOM consortium. President
Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered the investigation during a briefing by
Permanent Secretary Dr. Tunji Olaopa and other officials of the Ministry of
Communications at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Olaopa told reporters after the meeting that
although the President was not opposed to the sale of NITEL, he wanted to ensure that the country
was not shortchanged.
The Nation report continues:
According
to Olaopa, that was why Buhari directed that detail of the transaction should
be forwarded to his office in a memo.
He
said: “The President is concerned by the quality of service of telecom
operators. The President is very concerned about the whole issue of privatization
that is hindering the investments in ICT infrastructure and that he will
personally champion this.
“The
President talked about the potentials of the ICT sector in generating
employment.
“The
President is concerned about the liquidation of NITEL. He is not opposed to its
privatization but he wants to know and he wants us to bring a memo on how the
whole transaction was undertaken so that he would know whether Nigeria was
shortchanged or not.”
He
added that President Buhari also directed the ministry to bring forward for his
consideration and approval, all pending proposals for the development of the IT
sector, which require the approval of the Federal Executive Council.
A
statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity,
Mallam Garba Shehu, quoted the president as saying: “Where you don’t need EXCO
approval and you are not in breach of the law and will not lose money, you can
go ahead.
“Now
that oil costs less and we are contending with its theft, we have to move to
areas where we can realize revenue quickly.”
The
President welcomed the plan by the ministry to use post-offices across the
country for IT and financial transactions, especially in the rural communities,
saying that he was happy to hear that “we are recovering the post offices from
rats and rodents”.
“He
also asked for a comprehensive report on the sale of the Nigerian Telecommunications
Company (NITEL), saying that he was concerned by the continuing
protests of former NITEL employees and other Nigerians over the manner in
which assets of the company were sold.”
The
ministry’s presentation to the President dwelled on the potential of the IT
sector which, Dr. Olaopa said, accounts for 10 per cent of the country’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), but could grow to 20 per cent if some proposals by the
Ministry are approved and implemented.
Also
yesterday, the Ministry of Housing briefed the President on its activities.
The
Federal Government promised to give more attention to the Northeast in housing.
The area has been adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
President
Buhari gave the assurance while receiving briefings from officials of the
Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, led by its Permanent
Secretary, George Ossi.
Ossi
told reporters after the meeting that that Buhari’s main interest is to ensure
that Nigerians, especially those within the lowest income bracket, affordable
houses.
He
said that the ministry’s policy drive in the provision of housing in the
country was in line with the President’s mandate on housing for low income
earners.
According to him,
inadequate funding is one of the Ministry’s challenges.
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