• Vandalism surges by over 35% as operators lose 15,000 generators• East and Northern Nigeria account for highest rate of destructionSpecifically, the non-passage of the Critical National Infrastructure bill, about 15 years after it was presented at the National Assembly , has contributed, in no small measure, to the slow upgrade and expansion of telecoms infrastructure services, especially to the hinterland.
The activities of criminals, terrorists and denial of access for the overhaul or upgrade of BTS sites by levy-demanding residents have adversely affected the telecoms industry, impacting sectors like banking and finance, emergency services, air traffic controls and local businesses. According to the source, the document moved from ONSA to the office of Mr. President “but nothing was done till he left.”
Indeed, the passage of the bill has become more critical now than before because information at the disposal of The Guardian showed that the spate of vandalism and theft of telecoms facilities remain on the rise. Some of the operators put the rate at over 35 per cent, almost yearly. A document sighted by The Guardian showed that some construction companies, including Crainberg, CCECC, Julius Berger, CGC, FERMA and KOPEC were fingered in the various damages to telecoms infrastructure, especially fibre optics cables.
The firm recorded 405 cases of fibre cut as a result of road rehabilitation activities by construction workers while 617 cases were due to vandalism. The Patriot Act of 2001 defines critical infrastructure as those systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of these matters.
Fibre cuts have dire consequences on national security as well as the output of businesses, particularly those whose progress runs largely on the wheels of telecommunications. According to him, these taxes, fees and levies are too many and could hinder foreign direct investment and funds needed to grow the sector.
He explained that it also causes economic losses. “You may want to look at the different dimensions of the causes of disruption . It is largely willful – due to theft. This has both economic and security implications. So, it is in the interest of the government to pass the bill to deter the damages.
According to him, the government only focused on extracting taxes from the sector. He added that the government places little priority on the sector, hence its continued negligence. While the Chairman of the House Committee on Communications, Peter Akpatason, could not be reached as at press time, a former chairman of the House Committee on Information and Technology, Shehu Gusau, told The Guardian, that work was ongoing on the bill some years ago.
It said the assets were identified as the basic facilities, services, and installations critical to the social and economic well-being of any State.