ATCON Advocates Signing Of Pending Bills To Secure Assets

The President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr Ikechukwu Nnamani has called on the Nigerian government to sign pending bills to secure all its assets.

He stated that the state of the Nigerian critical infrastructure, monuments, and business assets is not the ideal situation that will result in the maximum benefits to the citizens.

Nnamani, who made this call at the National Stakeholders Summit in Abuja, said, despite the key benefits that accrue to the Nigerian state from these objects, a lot still needs to be done to ensure maximum benefits to the country.

He listed vandalism and theft, the uneven spread of critical infrastructure across the country, lack of cooperation by many states and local governments with the private sector to enable implementation of much-needed infrastructure and lack of adequate funding as the key challenges being faced in the area of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure.

In the area of business assets, ATCON president said, lack of timely protection from security organs during crises, lack of public utility and infrastructure leading to the high cost of business and lack of ideal long-term financing options, are the major challenges.

Despite these challenges, Nnamani said, he is gladdened by the efforts being made to address them, adding that, the conveyance of this Summit is a testament that these challenges have been identified and the will exists to address them.

He said the efforts by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in developing policies and guidelines to protect the critical infrastructure is very commendable, adding that, the latest edition of Nigeria’s National Security Strategy(NNSS) 2019, captured and emphasised the urgent need for safeguarding these assets.

“Also worthy of note is the digitization of economy being led by the honourable minister of Communication and Digital Economy through the agencies within the Ministry Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), among others, which has put the country in the right path towards ensuring this critical national infrastructure is not only developed but also well protected.

“The efforts of all arms of the security agencies not limited to the military and police force but also the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps which has continued to make tremendous efforts to fulfil its obligation as the lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure through effective synergy with sister agencies and other critical stakeholders within available resources at its disposal is well commended,” he added.