NAN-H-61
Broadband
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Jan 19, 2018 (NAN) Association of Telecommunications Professionals of Nigeria (ATPN) says the 2018 broadband penetration target is achievable if the Federal Government partners with stakeholders and professionals in the sector.
Broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals and refers to any high-speed internet access that is faster than traditional dial-up access.
In September 2012, the presidency inaugurated the Presidential Committee for a National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap headed by ICT experts, Dr Ernest Ndukwe and Mr Jim Ovia.
The committee came up with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013 to 2018 to achieve 30 per cent broadband penetration target.
Mr Adede Williams, the National President of ATPN made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Williams said the broadband target of 2018 was achievable but what government needed to do was to involve all stakeholders in the telecom sector.
“It is very achievable in 2018, what the government needs to do is to work in partnership with the ICT professionals and stakeholders because the solution to achieving the challenges of the sector is in their hearts.
“They are the ones who can actually advise the government on what to do, so it will be very nice if they are willing to work with stakeholders,’’ he said.
Williams said government should create a comfortable environment where the telecom sector could thrive, adding a lot of investors were interested in the sector.
“We have foreign investors that are willing to come in but the environment is not is not friendly, the policies involved is too stiff.
“Government has to specially look into the power sector as I have in many occasions discussed with some of my colleagues that said the major challenge is power supply.
“As soon as the power sector improves, the telecom sector is going to contribute more to the GDP.
“ You will find out that the power sector is not giving them that avenue to operate fully. So I think government really has to do something about that,’’ he said.
Williams said that the telecom sector would liaise with government to see how it could partner through the ministry of communication to find solutions to the challenges in the sector.
“ So we as members of the association have been doing this, we also have other stakeholders and associations in the industry who are actually still doing advocacy to drive government policies.
“Whatever government wants to know about the industry lies in the hands of the stakeholders.
“So we are pleading with the government to partner with stakeholders in the industry so that we can actually give our expertise in the area of ICT,’’ he said. (NAN)
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Edited Grace Yussuf