By George Mgbeleke
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr William Alo has charged Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) to develop effective and efficient modalities that will enable the agency compete favorably with others in line with international best practices.
The Permanent Secretary stated this when he received the Managing Director of NigComSat with his entourage who had come to brief the Permanent Secretary on the activities of his office since his assumption of duty as the Managing Director.
Dr. Alo explained that the briefing is a normal activity especially when there is a change in the leadership of either the supervising Ministry or the Agency under it. This he said, is to familiarize with the new the new leadership and also to know the activities and operations in the agency which is in tandem with the ministry’s supervisory role. He congratulated him on his well-deserved appointment.
According to Alo, urged the Managing Director to work towards having a Policy Framework in place through appropriate authorities to help strengthen its operations and services or risk being merged. “As a government company that provides satellite services to the country and humanity in general you should be working on a policy framework for your agency that will go to the Federal Executive Council for approval when it is inaugurated”, he added.
He underscored the importance of the instrument in a number of ways amongst other things such as: to define NigComSat’s mandate and its objectives, to safeguards its operations and services; and to show the company’s contribution to government internally generated revenue (IGR).
The Permanent Secretary emphasized the need for improved and efficient service delivery and also charged the MD and his team of professionals to synergize with relevant key stakeholders for better revenue accruals to the government which will also cater for the Agency’s operations. ‘As a government institution, you should at all times be guided by the rules and regulations, extant laws and circulars in your operations’, he added.
In his remarks, the MD/CEO of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat), Engineer Tukur Mohammed Lawal, said he was in the ministry to brief the Permanent Secretary on the Agency’s activities and to seek guidance.
According to Engineer Tukur, NigComSat which has been in existence sixteen years ago, has both the economic and technical potentials for the development of the country. He mentioned four key thematic objectives which include: broadband leasing, broadcasting leasing, transpordal leasing and navigation leasing.
The MD lamented that even though NigComSat’s 28 transpordals are active, its contribution to government’s IGR is little, and he however gave the assurance saying “we will change the narrative”. He added that NigComSat has a great potential of generating huge revenue from providing satellite services to other African Countries.
Engineer Tukur itemized the following achievements of NigComSat since its existence to include: support for national security; in-orbit testing for belintersat-1 satellite; space -based augmentation system (SBAS); E-NHIA-National Health Insurance System; 5G-C-band migration among others.
He further stressed that in order to address communication needs of the country in the areas of Broadband, Broadcasting and Internet Services, “NigComSat is taking steps to increase its fleet of satellites, by procuring the manufacture and launch of a High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) – NigComSat-2 as an ongoing project.
Engr. Tukur stressed the Agency would perform optimally if there was adequate funding, adequate budgetary allocations, patronage from government agencies, regulatory framework and waivers like licenses, state government engagement and support, National Assembly support, Local content bill amongst others.
The MD promised the Agency’s undivided loyalty to the Ministry for its supervisory roles.
