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Tag: communication

  • Bridging the Communication Gap between the Government and the People: Nigeria’s Path to Reconciliation

    Bridging the Communication Gap between the Government and the People: Nigeria’s Path to Reconciliation

    By Olaotan Fawehinmi

    In a recent interview, one of the esteemed fathers of communication in Nigeria highlighted a crucial distinction between the politics of communication and the communication of politics. He attributed the current crisis between the government and the people of Nigeria to a communication gap between the two parties.

    The politics of communication is the strategic use of communication to achieve political goals, shape public opinion, and influence policy decisions. In the context of the ongoing protests, this means how both the government and the protesters use communication to advance their interests, mobilise support, and frame the narrative. On the other hand, the communication of politics is disseminating information about political issues, policies, and decisions to the public, involving how political information is packaged, transmitted, and received by the audience.

    Regarding the protests, the communication gap between the government and the people is primarily a mismatch between the politics of communication and the communication of politics. The government’s politics of communication has been criticised for being top-down, imposing its narrative without listening to protesters’ concerns, and dismissing the severity of the situation and protesters’ grievances.

    Conversely, the communication of politics has been inadequate, with a lack of transparency and insufficient information about government actions and decisions, limited access and restricted channels for protesters to express their concerns, and ineffective mechanisms that ignore or dismiss protesters’ feedback.

    Nigerians are currently ablaze with discontent with their leaders, driven by the hunger in the land. From the streets of Abuja to the alleys of Lagos, protesters demand an end to bad governance, corruption, and economic stagnation. Amidst the cacophony of chants and slogans, a glaring disconnect stands out. The government appears tone-deaf, dismissing protesters as “misled” or “politically motivated,” while protesters feel ignored, their grievances trivialised, and their voices muzzled. This chasm of understanding has transformed the streets into a battleground, with both sides talking past each other.

    A lack of empathy and understanding has characterised the government’s response to the protests. Official statements often downplay the severity of the situation, blaming “external forces” or “political opponents” for the unrest. Most government officials granting interviews have talked down on the people at every opportunity. This dismissive attitude only fuels the perception that the government is out of touch with the people’s concerns.

    Meanwhile, protesters feel that their demands for accountability, transparency, and good governance are falling on deaf ears. They argue that the government’s inaction and silence are tantamount to complicity in the face of corruption and mismanagement. The consequences of this communication gap are far-reaching. Protesters feel marginalised, ignored, and disenfranchised, leading to increased frustration and anger. On the other hand, the government appears isolated and ineffective in addressing the root causes of the protests.

    Years of broken promises and unfulfilled expectations have eroded trust between the government and citizens.

    The overarching impact of the current protests in Nigeria, caused by the communication gap between the government and the people, on governance will include an erosion of trust. The government’s inability to communicate effectively with its citizens will lead to a further decline in trust. Also, the protests may escalate, leading to social unrest, instability, and potentially even violence.

    One significant consequence of the ongoing protests is the disruption of economic activities, which will affect businesses, investments, and the overall economy. Apart from causing more political polarisation, the protests may damage Nigeria’s international reputation, affecting diplomatic relationships and foreign investments.

    To mitigate these impacts, the government must prioritise effective communication, transparency, and citizen engagement to rebuild trust and ensure inclusive governance.

    Bridging this communication gap requires a fundamental shift in approach and a commitment from both sides. The government must adopt a more participatory approach to governance by actively listening and engaging with protesters, hearing their concerns, and acknowledging their grievances. Transparency is crucial, with the government providing clear, timely, and accurate information about its policies and choices. Accountability is also required to ensure those in power are held responsible for their actions and decisions. Inclusive decision-making involving a diverse range of stakeholders is essential.

    Protesters, too, must be willing to engage in constructive dialogue and seek solutions rather than solely emphasising demands. Articulating clear goals and demands, engaging in peaceful and non-violent protest, seeking common ground with the government, and building alliances with other stakeholders are crucial steps forward.

    As Nigeria teeters on the brink of chaos, the status quo is unsustainable. The government and protesters must find common ground and close the communication gap to build a more just, equitable, and prosperous society. Nigeria’s future depends on it.

    The way forward requires a collective effort from all stakeholders. The government, protesters, civil society organisations, and the international community must work together to build a more just and equitable society.

    Some possible solutions to this problem include establishing a national dialogue forum where government officials and protesters can engage in constructive conversation, creating a citizen engagement platform where Nigerians can provide feedback and input on government policies and decisions, and implementing transparency and accountability mechanisms to ensure that government actions are open and subject to scrutiny.

    In addition to these solutions, the government can also take steps to address the underlying issues driving the protests by implementing economic reforms to address poverty, inequality, and unemployment, strengthening institutions to prevent corruption, improving access to education, healthcare, and other essential services, and protecting human rights while promoting social justice.

    The international community can also support Nigeria’s democratic development by providing diplomatic support and encouragement, offering technical assistance and capacity-building programs, promoting economic growth and investment, and encouraging regional and international cooperation.

    Nigeria’s journey to the promised land may be long and challenging, but with determination, resilience, and a commitment to doing what is right, we can overcome any obstacle and emerge stronger.

    Olaotan Fawehinmi, a dynamic communications expert and Associate Director at Mediacraft Associates, resides in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a global affiliate of the CIPR (UK), and a member of the PRCA (UK), CIM (UK), and the NIMN (Nig). He can be reached via olaotansf@gmail.com

  • Breaking communication fetters

    Breaking communication fetters

    The liberalisation of the telecom space opened investment vistas for visionary entrepreneurs. One of the companies that took the risk was Globacom. At the weekend, the second national operator marked its 20 years anniversary and recommitted itself to quality service, LUCAS AJANAKU reports.

    When Globacom’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mrs. Bella Disu, spoke in the evening to welcome guests at an event organised to mark the 20 years anniversary of the birth of the telecom service provider, her voice betrayed her emotion about how far the company has gone over the past years.

    “You’ll agree with me that the current pace of digital transformation is far quicker than what it was when Globacom started. What was once deemed impossible is now the norm,” she reminisced.

    “We’re incredibly proud of this feat, which symbolises two decades of our commitment to excellent service delivery, quality, innovation, and outstanding communication strategies. This remarkable journey and the heights we’ve reached are all thanks to the visionary leadership and tenacity of our founder and Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr,” she added.

    Mrs. Disu may not be too far from the truth because right from when the first call was made on Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) after the payment of $285 million licence fee to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the average subscriber was held hostage by the incumbents.

    From the punitive cost of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, high cost of mobile phones to an equally high cost of call tariff, the subscribers were literally in prison.

    Those were the days when a flat rate of N50 was paid for making voice calls or even attempting to do so, even if the call ended at one second.

    When Globacom rolled out services two years after, things started changing. For instance, while the incumbents had insisted that they lacked the technology to implement a per second billing system, Globacom insisted it was possible to do so. The telco, wholly indigenous and founded by Dr. Adenuga Jnr, walked its talks by introducing per second billing from the start. What was hitherto deemed impossible is now the norm.

    The first set of licences were issued for the operation of GSM in 2000 at $285 million with Econet Wireless (now Airtel) in June, and South African telecom multinational, MTN, in August.

    Globacom, the fourth entrant into the field, rose from the ashes of CIL and was eventually awarded the Second National Operator (SNO) licence in 2002 to provide telecommunications services under the following categories: Digital Mobile Licence (GSM), National Carrier Licence (fixed and fixed wireless); International Gateway Licence and Online services. Globacom was subsequently offered National Operator licence, the second National operator after NITEL and rolled out its mobile service, Glo Mobile, on August 29, 2003 with pocket-friendly offerings, which immediately endeared the network to the people.

    During those dark days, coverage was limited only to cities but Nigerians who had been shut out of telephony were still grateful because of the experience they had under the defunct state-run operator, NITEL.

    Globacom democratised access to telephony by crashing the cost of SIM cards from N25, 000 to N6, 000 and now to N100.

    Director, Customer Experience at Globacom, Catherine Bomett, said the company has scored firsts in the industry including landing the first submarine cable, Glo 1, in the country, connecting the continent with Europe and boosting data users’ experience.

    She said over the last 20 years, the company has impacted all sectors of the economy including entertainment, music, comedy and sports in the areas of athletics and football while Head Enterprise, Tega Agofure, said as the ‘grandmaster of data’, the company pioneered browsing the internet on mobile phones through the innovation of GPRS on which technologies now ride on. Agofure said the company also pioneered the third generation (3G) technology in the country.

    Chief Technical Officer, Remi Makinde, said the company has 9109 Advanced LTE (Long Term Evolution) sites across the country while 1262 new sites are currently being rolled out to boost coverage and capacity. Additional 2000 new sites are planned to be added yearly for the next four years.

    He said the company has installed hybrid power solution with Lithium batteries to improve uptime on 600 sites while over 4000 old batteries in base stations have also been replaced.

    On optic fibre rollout, the CTO said 286Km new fiber routes have been completed while 736Km new fiber route and relocation projects are ongoing too.

    On transmission network expansion, he said IP backhaul has moved from 300gigabytes per second (Gbps) to 600Gbps while core IP platform capability has moved from 200Gbps to 2Tbsp between Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Abuja, Ilorin, Enugu, Port Harcourt.

    According to him, 36 new DWDM Nodes have been added to cater for new fiber routes providing additional protection for Enugu, Ilorin and Kano regions, while 238 new IP point of presence (PoPs) have been established in the last two years to enable multipath protection and reduce latency, and increase capacity from 1G to 40Gig using DWDM network.

    Read Also: NITDA, Communications Ministry urged to extend AfDB project across 774 LGAs

    Similarly, no fewer than 184 legacy IP routers have been swapped to enhance latency and provide higher capacity.

    To secure the network, new firewall has been installed with 800Gig backhaul capacity and another second firewall deployment in progress just as direct interconnectivity has been established with Google, YouTube and Facebook using 200G capacity in Nigeria to provide better browsing speed and customer experience while upgrade with additional 100G is in progress.

    On voice core network, the CTO said new cloud MSC has been deployed in Victoria Island, Oregun, Benin and Abuja with 440,000 Erlang Traffic capacity additions in core network.

    Three new SBC (Lagos, Benin & Abuja) deployment with 160,000 session capacity addition to mitigate congestion on interconnects.

    For its core data network, it has commissioned and integrated new Cloud Data Core platform in V.I and Benin and migration of old Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) and CG platform with new cloud UGW and CG with more than 150 private  enterprise  connection and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) connections created.

    On roll out strategy for next year, he said: “We have carried out huge network investments in the following areas to ensure we provide our customers with desired LTE advanced ultra high-speed streaming quality and experience: Rollout of LTE Advanced to all our sites nationwide has been completed.

    “Currently, we are upgrading our LTE sites with additional spectrum resources nationwide geared towards ensuring we always provide premium voice and high-speed data user experience.

    “Our national optic fiber and IP/MPLS backbone and metro network is also currently being expanded with an additional 5,000Km from the current span of 14,000Km.

    “Further capacity expansion of our Glo1 submarine optical fiber infrastructure from Lagos – London is on-going to accommodate our massive data growth for our direct interconnectivities with the likes of Google, YouTube and Facebook and other ISPs and corporate bodies across all sectors of the economy. We have also embarked on rollout of additional new sites to further expand our footprint nationwide with additional scope of 2,000 sites per year. This is to address the densification and coverage enhancement due to constantly growing capacity demand trends,” he said.

    Future plans

    Mrs. Disu said the company is excited about the “next 20 years of serving our customers by pre-empting and fulfilling their needs in ways that help them achieve their ambitions. We count on you all to be by our side as we write tomorrow’s success stories”.

    “Powering Your Ambition” showcases Globacom’s preparedness and capability to power businesses and individuals with the right tools and services to enable them “set ambitious personal and business targets and realize them to the full”.

    The company unveiled a new communication direction which is predicated on its new business focus of “Powering Your Ambition”.

    On transmission future plans, CTO Makinde said the company will provide additional redundancy for core IP network, adding that order has been placed to deploy dual core routers in Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Abuja, Ilorin, Enugu and Port Harcourt.

    He said transport and IP backhaul capacity enhancement to reach 100Gbps for Northern Nigeria and 800Gbps for Southern Nigeria.

    Also on the card is additional 500Km fiber protection routes and city metros in progress to improve the availability of 2G,3G and 4G services while high-capacity MW will be deployed to support additional broadband and radio sites traffic backhaul.

    Similarly, 280 additional IP PoPs are planned in Abuja, Ibadan, Benin, Port Harcourt and Lagos metros in 2024.

  • Communication: A must in marriage! (3)

    Dear Reader, welcome to today’s edition of your usual column in Jesus’ name!  Without any doubt, I know that you have really taken time to decipher the truth of God’s Word regarding communication.

    This week, I will yet be unveiling to you what I subtitled “Ways of Enhancing Communication!”

    Communication is a two-way process that involves talking and listening. The better couple and children communicate; the closer they become. Communication can be enhanced better than you may envisage, by paying strict attention to the following:

    1. Learning to Listen!

    Listening is a crucial prerequisite for an effective communication. Since it involves talking and listening as seen in Proverbs 18:13. A wise man once said, “Good listeners are good lovers.”  Some women tend to talk too much that they don’t give room for their husband to say anything. Hence, such husbands keep hearing what the woman says without listening. Meanwhile, communication goes beyond hearing, to being attentive. This enables one to be able to make sound decisions and pass good judgment on various issues.

    1. Truthfulness!

    Ordinarily, truthfulness means constancy or sincerity in action or character.  Truthfulness is also an attribute of God.  God detests lies and exaggeration. Husbands, wives and children must be very truthful in their communication to one another. My husband often says, “When Christianity lacks character there is nothing more to it.”

    iii.       Correct Timing!

    Words, we know, can be likened to eggs.  They are fragile and delicate. God’s Word says: …A word spoken in due season, how good is it! (Proverbs 15:23). That is, you must know your spouse so well that you know when to say what and how to say it. Important issues should be wisely but thoroughly discussed. Even when you feel so overwhelmed by a matter, you can always compose yourself to wait for an appropriate time to speak.

    1. Pleasing Each Other!

    One of the essences of effective communication is to enhance intimacy, unity and love.  Remember, motive is the main focus here.  It is important for you to be willing to admit when you are wrong; don’t be too proud to say so. Before engaging in heartfelt discussions, especially when crucial issues are to be ironed out, you may need to ask yourself questions like:  What is my motive?  Will it destroy our intimacy or make my spouse lose respect for me? Why am I saying this? Will it make us a better couple? Finding sincere answers to these questions will go a long way in enhancing your communication skill, thereby presenting to both your spouse and you better way of pleasing each other.

    It is a fact that the longer you live together with someone, the more you are able to read his or her body language. For example, a look from your husband can send a clear message to you, which no one else may understand.

    In concluding this segment, let me say here that communication is not only vital for husbands and wives, but for all members of the family. Both verbal and non-verbal types of communication are required and should, therefore, be employed by members for a fruitful family relationship.

    Keep the communication lines open; don’t allow the enemy to tamper with it. This can only be achieved by surrendering your life to Jesus. It starts by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. To do this, please say this prayer of faith with me: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

    Congratulations, you are now born again! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

     

  • Communication: A must in marriage! (1)

    Dear Reader, Congratulations and Happy New Month! It is my prayer that this month brings lots of joy, blessings and fulfilment to your life and home. Today, as you take practical steps to apply the Word of God that is coming your way, your home shall be heaven on earth indeed, in Jesus’ Name!

    This month, via God’s Word, I will be looking at the topic: “Communication: A must in Marriage!”

    Today, many marriages break down as a result of faulty communication. Couples talk and nag until they become weary of each other. Why?  Because there is no effective communication.

    Communication is very vital in marriage. You may not enjoy your marriage, if you and your spouse don’t know how to communicate effectively. It is like having gold in a garden, but not knowing how to dig it out. The gold is there, but as long as it is not dug out, you cannot be enriched by it.

    That is why the basis of any fruitful and lasting relationship is effective communication. God, our Father and our ultimate example, proved this to us by communicating His plans and intentions to those whom He trusted. He spoke clearly to Moses, Samuel, David, right through to Jesus and beyond Him, to those of us who love and serve Him.

    Marriage without effective communication can never work! In times past, particularly in African societies, women were regarded as mere objects and a part of a man’s possessions. They were not consulted on major issues, neither were their views regarded as important.

    In those days, women stayed married because they had no choice; but that has never been God’s plan. He made marriage as an avenue for both husband and wife to find fulfillment, and this comes when there is effective communication.

    Remember, it takes deliberate efforts to build an enviable home.  Thus, effective communication is one of the requirements for building a successful marriage and family. Note that the need to constantly improve your communication skills and strategy cannot be over-emphasized.

    However, no matter how effectively you communicate with your spouse and family members right now, it can still be improved upon;  because, there is always a better way of doing things.  As someone rightly said ‘the largest room in the world is the room for improvement.’

    Don’t ever believe that you are communicating the best way.  The truth is: You can communicate better than you have been doing before, if you care to constantly improve on the strategies you engage.

    Communication is the key to success in marriage. A wise man said, “If you talk together, you stay together,” and I believe it is very true. Marriage is about living lives together!

    Adam’s family, for example, will help you appreciate the importance of effective communication. God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam, I suppose, believed, but failed to effectively communicate the seriousness of this command to Eve; and she took it lightly.  If you read the account carefully, you will find that in Eve’s dialogue with the serpent, she mentioned that God “said”, not “commanded” (Genesis 3:3). But God did not just say, He commanded.

    So, communication must first be one-on-one, between the man and his wife, and then other members of the family. That responsibility cannot be shifted to God. He will not leave heaven to come to your home and speak to your wife or your children on your behalf. It is a non-transferable responsibility.

    However, until you are born again, you cannot successfully communicate with God, which is the basis of effective communication with spouse and family members. Being born again entails confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If you are set for this awesome experience, please say this prayer of faith with me: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

    Congratulations, you are now born again! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

     

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

     

  • TVC repositions

    Communication is a core element of human existence. It comes in different forms and formats, mainly verbal, nonverbal and visual. It would be particularly hard to imagine a world without some form of interpersonal interaction, better known as communication. The foremost purpose of communication systems is to provide the right information to the targeted audience at the right place and time.

    However, one modern communication format that deserves deeper examination is television. Over the years, television has steadily emerged a central instrument of contemporary economic, social, educational and political organisation and information dissemination. Its pivotal role may be seen in the context of information being a knowledge enabler, a remarkable derivative from the famous dictum: Knowledge Is Power. Enlightenment, entertainment and education, which underpin television, are key ingredients of social change. A well-informed society is imperative for development and advancement.

    In a developing country like Nigeria, the function of television in forging national integration and development cannot be over-emphasised. Unlike other media audiences, television appeals to a wider variety of groups cutting across age groups, literate and illiterate, male and female, urban and rural. Television is particularly vital in the socialisation of young people.

    Despite the disruption of social media and mobile phones through provision of instant news, television remains remarkable for reaching a large number of people in a very short time. It has the capacity to bring the world to doorsteps in a matter of seconds. It has made the dissemination of news, information and entertainment achievable on a scale unprecedented in human evolution. It is undoubtedly one of the most versatile audiovisual aids ever developed by man.

    It was unquestionably in recognition of the pivotal role of television in development that TVC News, a member of TVC Communications, recently unveiled a brand-new high definition news studio at its headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, an upgrade designed to bolster television experience and truly ensure that Nigerians are informed of any major development as it happens.

    The ultimate goal, according to the company, is to deliver news as it breaks from any part of the country; to be First With Breaking News. In pursuit of this mission, the company has made substantial investment in studio operations and mobile digital satellite technology, which positions it to become the home of breaking news for Nigeria, ensuring fast and reliable reporting of news stories whenever and wherever around the federation from its network of news bureaus and correspondents.

    It is projected that from its expanding network of news bureau and correspondents across Nigeria, as well as new programming, TVC News would help in breaking barriers associated with inaccessibility, illiteracy and inadequate trained manpower, which have plagued the country for quite some time.

    Addressing the media at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos recently, Chief Executive Officer, TVC Communications, Andrew Hanlon, said that its improved news service formed part of a substantial ongoing investment plan aimed at growing the TVC Group of companies into one of the country’s leading media organisations.

    “Behind this state-of-the art studio in Lagos lies the real engine of our news operation: a substantial team of journalists, producers and the latest mobile satellite technology spread throughout Nigeria, providing us with the ability to broadcast live anywhere and anytime. This will be put to the test this election weekend as over 80 million Nigerians go to the polls to cast their votes,” Hanlon said.

    He added, “We must be capable of mobilising correspondents and technical teams anywhere, anytime in this vast country, to cover stories within a very short space of time to get the story on air first – and that’s what will distinguish TVC News from other news networks and enable us to be First With Breaking News.”

    In addition, the company has installed a powerful new suite of motion graphics and visual elements which provide a contemporary look and feel to the TVC News channel, produced by the most talented Nigerian professionals.

    The freshness of the channel’s content will be driven by its ability to be First With Breaking News, a pitch only possible with the right personnel and equipment. Being balanced and accurate in news reportage are also crucially important in the new vision.

    In its employ are excellent, highly experienced news anchors who will be the faces of the new TVC News, but they will be seen in a totally different and dynamic environment which viewers will find very appealing.

    In terms of appearance, the various elements have combined to create a distinctive look that is more cinematic and sophisticated, and yet very alluring to ensure exciting television experience that keeps the viewer captivated and glued to the set.

    Also speaking at the event, Director of News, TVC News, Stella Din-Jacob, said, “We are incredibly fortunate to have some of the best people and broadcast facilities in continental Africa which will enable us to bring the highest quality news service to our viewers right across Nigeria, Africa and Europe.

    “Having recently been awarded the coveted NBC Prize for the Best Television Station of the Year at the 26th Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA), we particularly hope that viewers will enjoy our primetime news broadcasts: TVC News at 10pm (The most watched news programme in Lagos at 10pm) and 7pm every weeknight, and to start your day with TVC News Breakfast from 6am-9am every weekday.”

    As part of a formidable emerging media conglomerate, TVC News stands in good stead to explore the resident expertise and talent to accomplish its mission. It is about being creative and innovative with television in order to reach out to a wider segment of society with trending news, delivered as it breaks.

    The TVC Communications Group, to which it belongs, also owns other media outfits, including TVC (pure entertainment channel), Max FM Lagos, Max FM, Abuja and Adaba FM, Ondo. Since establishment in 2007, it has emerged one of the most iconic brands in broadcasting in Nigeria.

    TVC News is a 24-hour Nigerian news channel offering a fresh perspective on African and world events. Broadcasting from Lagos, with offices and correspondents across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, TVC News brings its viewers the latest news 24 hours a day, telling the news as it is, with reporting that is as fearless as it is informative. Deploying state-of- the-art equipment and using a network of bureau across the country, TVC News team keeps viewers up-to- date with fast, accurate, and relevant information. The 24-hour news channel meets the needs of its audience with objective, accurate and relevant news.

    The new upgrade will, as a major objective, guarantee live, gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth reporting and expert analysis of the nation’s most important events as they unfold. There will be interviews with specialists on a wide range of subjects who will provide comprehensive context to trending issues. It has also allowed for more efficiency and streamlining of daily duties.

    The goal of bringing the world live to Nigerian living rooms is gradually getting closer to attainment. TVC News will in due course be assessed by its stated mission.

  • It’ll take time to feel Buhari’s impact, says Minister

    It’ll take time to feel Buhari’s impact, says Minister

    Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, was in his element when he spoke in Lagos with Sunday Oguntola on proposed reforms in his ministry, misconceptions about his person and his 2019 governorship ambition. Excerpts: 

    CLOSE to two years on the saddle as a Minister, how has it been?         We thank God because I came in as a complete novice in the ICT sector because I have been a lawyer and politician. I didn’t know anything about ICT. It is instructive also that the stakeholders in the industry actually protested my appointment because they felt the sector required someone who had knowledge about it and who could head the sector and provide leadership professionally and otherwise.

    But I thank God that the President had confidence in my ability and in the fact that I learn very fast. I started by convoking a retreat where about 400 specialists came to interact with me and reviewed where the sector was coming from and where we were and should be heading to.

    After a week, we got all the ideas and set up a committee to formulate them into what has become the Ministry of Communication’s ICT Roadmap 2017-2020. It’s a three-year plan that the Federal Executive Council has adopted. About two months ago, the same operators who protested my appointment gave me a fellowship of Nigeria Computer Society.

    What changed their minds?

    Of course, my performance within the period did. One, I have provided leadership in the right perspectives. I do attend all programmes of the sector within and outside the country. I can say that I have attended about 15 foreign conferences.

    Within the country, I have also initiated reforms. I have inaugurated the Broad Band Council. I have inaugurated the Digital Council. I have ensured that the Nigerian Communications Council (NCC) is put on its toes with regards to ensuring that the rights of subscribers in the telecommunications sector are protected so that the operators do not take undue advantage of them.

    I have also initiated reforms in Nigeria Communication Satellite (NICOMSAT), which is one of the agencies under the Ministry. NICOMSAT had just one satellite orbit but we have made efforts to ensure we have two or three more. With that, we would be able to ensure that no Nigerian companies patronize foreign satellite firms in the storage of their data.

    We are working on cable laying across the country to connect all Federal Government’s agencies in the project. As at now, the project is 80 percent completed. I have ensured FEC approved the second phase to cover the entire country. I have also initiated an ICT University aimed at providing a skilled gap assessment and training facility for Nigerians. As of today because of the inadequacies in the training of computer science students, when people graduate from our universities, they go to India to retrain and get professional certifications and correct skills.

    ICT changes by the day but most of what our universities have as syllabus are 20-30 years old. They don’t meet with the ever-changing nature of the ICT sector. So, the ICT University will stop our graduates from going to India, Korea or China for retraining.

    How soon will the university take off?

    We are hoping the university takes off before the end of September in six campuses across the country. There would be one in each of the six geo-political zones.

    On NIPOST, we have a number of reforms that will introduce five new companies to the activities of NIPOST. Remember that the NIPOST is known for transmitting postal materials within and outside the country. It is as old as Nigeria itself. But with the coming of GSM, emails and other ICT, people didn’t need NIPOST again.

    Yet, the facilities, personnel and infrastructure are still there unused and untapped. So, I thought that we could use the inadequacies of NIPOST to resolve the problem of financial non-inclusiveness for the rural dwellers. Banks exist in less than 50 percent of the 774 local governments in the country.

    Majority of Nigerians live in rural areas, meaning they are financially excluded from services. They cannot save money, take credit and transfer financially. So, we are introducing what we call the NIPOST Bank using the existing postal agencies and infrastructure across the nation.

    We would also have NIPOST Property and Development Company aimed at ensuring that all the excess lands in post offices across the nation are leased out to private developers for office complexes, shopping malls and residential apartments as well as garages. That will bring in a lot of monies for government.

    We are also working on establishment of a NIPOST Transport and Logistics Company. Currently, we have fleet of vehicles used to transmit postal materials which are either grounded or wasting away. So, we think we can commercialise this fleet of vehicles to provide transport services.

    If you live in Saki, where I come from and you need to come to Lagos to buy merchandise. You come to the post office and they are transported to your village for settlement with ease. We would have NIPOST e-commerce services because if you live in Ibadan and need something in Kano, you just communicate online and the merchandise is sent to you wherever you are.

    Also, we are bringing reforms for NIPOST e-government services. Today, we know international passports are acquired in Immigration offices only in capital cities. What it means is if you leave 200metres away from the capital, you have to travel down. The transport costs, risks of armed robberies, accidents waste of real-time are too much to bear.

    With NIPOST e-government services, you simply go to the nearest post office and process your passport application online, pay online and it will be transmitted through the post to you. You don’t need to appear physically because everything is online. It is the same with driving license, financial passports and others.

    We are working on the establishment of an ICT Development Bank. You will recall we have Bank of Industry (BOI), Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and all others not any to cater for the ICT sector. There is no bank for the specialized ICT sector, which has become the latest enabler of life, businesses and governments. If you are a software developer, you need time and resources for it to mature. The current banking interest regime is not suitable for the growth and development of ICT sector.

    So, we have decided to have a specialized bank to help the sector grow without the current banking challenges we have. We are establishing technological hubs across the nation and encouraging private investors to be part of it.

    Generally, my role is to provide leadership for the industry and make enabling environment available. I am happy to note that for the first time in the history of this country, telecoms alone has provided more than 10 percent to the GDP. It has never happened before.

    In the area of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), we have attracted more than $40billion. As at today, the ICT sector engages more Nigerians than the oil sector, which has been hit by economic recession over the years.

    How were you able to acquaint yourself so quickly with the industry in less than two years?

    The paramount thing is to have a universal education and I am proud to say that I am a product of the then University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. I read Law and have always been in practice and politics. I have a worldview of life and I mix very well with people. I am not boxed in one corner and I read extensively.

    So, for me, it has become something within my DNA to understand what is involved and provide the right leadership. Of course, I must also thank officials of my ministry for giving me the support to learn very quickly and provide the right leadership.

    At first, the Oyo State Government protested your appointment and stakeholders in the ICT industry joined when you were assigned your portfolio. What’s it about you that makes people fight you everywhere?

    I think there are two different perspectives. One is political and the other is professional. Protest against my nomination was politically motivated perhaps some people felt if I distinguish myself, they would be in trouble. But God has had his ways and I am happy that I have the opportunity to serve as Minister.

    For me, it is more of a training ground for higher political office. As regards the protest by the stakeholders, I would say it was an innocent protest because they could not have been mischievous. They feared the industry would require appropriate leadership and enabling environment for advancement. I am happy that they have seen what I can do and God has performed wonders in my life.

    One of the earliest controversies that faced you was the fine brouhaha of MTN Nigeria. Nigerians still believe the firm was not appropriately sanctioned…

    … I am surprised that Nigerians still feel that way. There is no arbitrariness in governance. The issue of MTN was something that the law had made provisions for. MTN committed an infraction and all government had to do was to look at what the law said.

    Of course, it became clear to MTN that if it had to pay that fine in its totality, it was most likely going to go bankrupt. So, it appealed to the Presidency for leniency. Even in the court process, if you are fined and it becomes impossible for you to pay, you can apply for review, which is akin to what MTN did to Mr. President.

    Mr. President, in the interest of this country, because if he had stood his ground that he was going to have his pound of flesh, there was the possibility that MTN would have packed out of Nigeria.

    The wrong signals would have been sent to the international investing community and banks would have collapsed because all their investments in the sector would have been withdrawn. Thirdly, Nigerians working there would have suffered directly and indirectly. They would have been thrown to the labour market and where are the jobs you want to give to these people?

    These were the issues the Federal Government considered and decided to reduce the fine. We also agreed to spread the remaining balance for payment over a period of three years as they requested. Recall that the first thing they had to do was payment of N50 billion. I call this free money because it was not an anticipated income. We didn’t work for it but it added a lot of value to our ability to provide services for Nigerians.

    So far, I am aware they have paid up to N80 billion and over the next two years, they will pay up the entire N330billion.

    In Oyo State where you hail from, people have said it is the turn of Oyo North to produce the next governor. Do you align with that?

    First, let me say that I am a very objective person. I want to look at it from various perspectives. Oyo has linguistically speaking about four zones. It has the Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Oke-Ogun with the Ibarapa as the fifth. Ibadan has 11 local government areas. Oke-Ogun has 10, Ogbomoso has five, Oyo has four while Ibarapa has three.

    Over the years, particularly after the late Bola Ige, most governors have come from Ibadan. It was by accident of fate that an Ogbomoso became governor once. So, a lot of people feel that there must rotation and since the Ibadan have done it about three times, it should go to the next zone in terms of size of the number of local government areas.

    Of course, you must also realise that in terms of quantum of votes, Ibadan has always produced 52 percent. Oke-Ogun produces 18 percent and you see the wide difference. But it is a good argument, which got a lot of fillips recently because the Ibadan didn’t vote for APC candidate only but also Ladoja of Accord Party.

    It was the votes of Oke-Ogun that saved the day for APC and Governor Abiola Ajimobi. That is why even the governor said, for once, it should be the turn of Oke-Ogun because of what the zone did.

    But some people believe the governor is just talking tongue-in-cheek…

    … Well, the fact is that he said it and it can be referred to. Whether it is true or not does not matter. But the truth also is, for me, as a person since I am one of the front-liners from the zone, I don’t want to become governor only for Oke-Ogun.

    That would be demeaning to my status as the most experienced and connected among the aspirants. I am also the oldest politician among the aspirants. For me, I feel that for once Oke-Ogun now has somebody who is more capable and qualified than any other person. I believe I will easily beat others during the primaries.

    So, for me it is not about where I hail from but bridges one has built over the years. I have always boasted about my robust relationship with the Ibadan people over the last 38 years.

    But they never voted for you in the last two attempts to govern the state

    Well, the fact that they didn’t vote for me then is not conclusive they won’t vote for me now. I mean people change a lot. Initially people were saying Omo Ibadan ni e je o se (Only an Ibadan indigene should govern) but now in Ibadan they are saying Ajumobi o’kan tanu (Kindness has nothing to do with kinship).

    But the aspirants from Oke-Ogun appear to be many. Don’t you think that will affect the region?

    It is not a strange thing because everybody wants something good. There are always aspirants, claimants, pretenders and all that but then when the chips are down; we would separate the chaffs from the wheat. There are so many people that have never held any political post or office yet they want to be governors. They have never been council chairmen, member of the State Assembly, Commissioner or Minister yet they are laying claims to the governor’s seat.

    You won’t deny them the freedom to make claims to that which they may not have the competence or capacity to do. That is why we would have a primary election at the appropriate time and people would be allowed to choose the most competent person as candidate.

    At the last Oke-Ogun Youth summit, one of the prominent monarchs from the region said he would neither vote nor support a stingy politician who is a religious fundamentalist. Most people believe he was referring to you. Can you react to that?

    Of course, I knew he was referring to me, which was why I replied appropriately. Two, we have since reconciled. We are mutual friends and have reconciled. But most importantly, I am not stingy. But I am not a stupid spender to satisfy anybody.

    I believe in sustainable projects, which is why when I became a Minister, I took the decision to construct three boreholes in each of the 33 local government areas. It is my money. I don’t have security votes or constituency allowance.

    So far, of the 99 boreholes, I have only done 12. A stingy man would not put his money in such project that would not give him anything in return. I have also purchased two buses for the State Executives of the party with the plan to purchase, as money comes in, a bus for each local government branch of our party.

    I cannot say how many people I support financially for school fees, medical bills, house rents and so on. So we have reconciled and I am not stingy at all.

    As for the case of fundamentalism, it is a case of calling a dog a bad name to hang it. When I was being screened in the Senate this same allegation came up. And I challenged the Upper Chamber to bring evidence of one single action of mine that amounts to religious fundamentalism in the last 38 years of my life in politics. Till tomorrow, nobody has been able to provide one.

    A lot of people cannot believe that you could be as educated as I am and yet as religious I am. That I don’t do some of the funny things that some other people who are not serious with their God do makes people look at me with amazement. So, they turn around to say I am a fanatic.

    So, you believe it’s your turn to win Oyo 2019 governorship poll?

    In fact, when people ask me if I am contesting, I get pissed off. If you have a child that went to Primary School and did so well, move to Secondary school and did so well, will you ask if he will go to the University? Among all the aspirants, I am the only one who qualified as a lawyer in 1979. I became a member of the Oyo House of Assembly from 1979-1983 where I was the most dynamic and visible.

    In 1983, I became Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture. In 2007, I became Attorney General for the State. In 2011 and 2015, I contested the governorship and today I am a Minister. Who other person has one quarter of what I have?

    So I don’t see how the competition will be a tough one really by the grace of God.

    Are you in support of agitations for the creation of Oke-Ogun State?

    Honestly, I don’t want to waste time on calls for creation of Oke-Ogun State because I know that no civilian administration is capable of doing that. And I don’t believe in deceiving myself. If you are talking of state creation, only a military regime can do it by unilateral actions, not through the democratic process.

    That is because easily if you leave it to the vagaries of democratic process, you are going to have more than 100 States in the Federation. We have 36 States, most of which are insolvent. India with a population of 1.3 billion has only 22 States. In the Western Region days, the cry then was the Ijebu were marginalizing us. So, they created Ogun, Oyo and Osun. When we were in the Old Oyo State, the cry became the Ijesha were shortchanging us. When Osun left, it became the Ibadan are cheating us. If you create Oke-Ogun, it would be Saki or Oyo are cheating us.

    So, I don’t believe in state creation but offering right leadership. And I want to believe, if by the grace of God, I become governor people would forget about marginalization because I would be governor of all and be fair to all.

    There are many Nigerians feeling the pang of hunger and saying they don’t have as much money as before…

    …Well they won’t have because the era of profligacy ended with the Jonathan’s administration.

    But they say they are also hungry…

    …Again they would be hungry because we have had 16 years of mismanagement of our economy. In the last years of Jonathan, petrol which is the main stay of our economy was selling for $140 per barrel. By the time Buhari came on board, it dropped to $38. That is more than 70 percent loss.

    If in the era of $140 per barrel, the administration then utilised the money to invest in capital infrastructure such as roads, railways, schools and saved for the rainy days, we would not be in economic quagmire that we are.

    Is it true you and Governor Ajimobi are not on good terms?

    I know that Governor Ajimobi and I have come a long way since 2007. We have been brothers and will remain so. Of course, in every relationship, there would be conflicts.

    I think appeared like a case of our discordance is the fact that we are coming from two different political backgrounds. He is from defunct ACN while I came from the defunct CPC. So, we had disagreements as to the composition of the party’s state executives then.

    For me, I don’t hold grudges against anybody. He is my governor and leader of our party in the state. I am expecting to take over from him. So, we cannot afford not to be friends.

  • Let your communication have meaning, Oyedepo advises Nigerians

    Covenant University (CU)  Ota in Ogun State chancellor Dr David Oyedepo has  said anyone who cannot clarify his message to his listeners has not “communicated”.

    Oyedepo said there is a correlation between man and language because of their dynamism, adding that this necessitates the need for the former to continue to acquire as much efficiency as possible on language use.

    Oyedepo spoke at the inaugural lecture series at CU premises on Friday  delivered by a professor of Stylistics Christopher Awonuga at the university.

    Awonuga spoke on the theme: ‘’What does this text mean? Stylistics and the process of interpretation’’ Oyedepo said examples abound the world over where clarity of communication had resulted in ‘quality decision making’ that had shaped the society and brought about positive development.

    The senior cleric said his calling as a communicator of the gospel of Jesus Christ has made him traverse the world. Yet, he continued to discover new challenges and gaps in his communication skills, as well as the need to address them as urgently as possible.

    “What I expected is what I found,” Oyedepo said referring to the delivery of Awonuga’s lecture.

    “This lecture of today applies to everybody,” he continued.

    “It is unfortunate that many of us speak but only few communicate.  This is where the essence of meaning comes in; and I want to say you can’t be a part of decision if you cannot communicate effectively because clarity of communication is vital in every relationship.

    “This lecture will, therefore, go a long way in influencing clarity of communication and ways by which messages are diffused.”

    Oyedepo said the likelihood of a language to survive largely depends on how often it is spoken; how proficient are users of the said language as well as efforts made to standardise such language to accommodate audience beyond the immediate speakers.

    Awonuga highlighted   the ambivalence nature in which personal pronouns, such as ‘mine’, ‘your’, ‘yours’, ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’, ‘we’ ‘their” and ‘they’ are used to connote various meanings via a text.

    To buttres his points, Awonuga conducted linguistic analyses of some poems and five texts, two of which included former president Goodluck Jonathan’ ‘Declaration Speech’  on  September 18, 2010, and former American president Barrack Obama’s ‘State of the union’ speech in February 12, 2013. In the end, Awonuga submitted that both speakers used personal pronouns to balance their relationship with their audiences.

    He said: “The reviews and analyses demonstrate that in political rhetoric, the relationships among participants in the discourse situations are mediated by personal pronouns ‘which delineate a social or political ‘space’ in which people and groups have a political ‘position’

    “There are two issues to be stressed at this point. The first is that personal pronouns are not the only major linguistic characteristics of language of politics. The others are metaphor, especially metaphors of sport and war.

    “The second issue to note here is that English personal pronouns are used in interesting ways not only in politicians’ speeches but also in speeches in general.

    In his recommendations, Awonuga sought the stylistic study of poetry and prose frictional texts by students.

    “The reason for this is that the study of poetry is not popular with university students in Nigeria and they need to be motivated in this area of academic endeavour,” Awonuga added.

  • Teaching in age of communication technology

    Without a doubt, teachers are pretty important to the society. Teachers hold the key to the future since they help to mould future leaders. They don’t just teach, they are critical personalities who nurture the young folks to mature, to understand the world and to understand themselves. Evidence shows that teachers, their professional knowledge and skills are the most important factor for quality education in any society.

    Today, teaching has become easier and yet, more difficult because of the ubiquitous availability of communications technology. Whether it is social, business or instructional, technology now makes it easier, faster, more affordable and more intuitive to communicate. Teaching is essentially about communication and the attractiveness of communications technology in an educational setting is difficult to resist.

    While some forms of these technologies may constitute distractions, there is broad consensus that, if properly harnessed, the adoption of communications technology in an educational is advantageous in a number of ways. Thus, the question that confronts the 21st century policy makers is the extent to which existing and rapidly evolving technologies should be adopted and utilized to facilitate the communication between a teacher and his/her students.

    In considering this question, Rick Delgado, a leading thinker on educational innovations, identified a number of reasons why policy makers and schools will do well to ensure that teachers are capable of utilizing available communications technology to impart knowledge on students. First, the use of technology ‘levels the field’ between the so-called ‘high end’ schools and the so-called ‘low-end’ schools. This then brings about equality in the treatment of students in our societies as technology ensures access to significant skills and relevant information by all students and virtually all schools.

    Second, technology prepares students for the future. The world is moving towards technology at a breakneck pace and educators have a responsibility to introduce, encourage, and help students master technology as it applies to school and the future. Technology will be used in every aspect of the future professional lives of current students.

    Third, technology ensures that the classroom can be taken anywhere. This, indeed, is the age of the mobile life. Adopting the use of technology means that the classroom can be taken anywhere. With all the knowledge and resources contained and deliverable on demand in mobile devices, students can learn at home or in the “field”. Mobile technology also allows for greater collaboration between students thus promoting strong foundations in group work.

    The social component of existing communications’ technologies also serves to motivate students and ensure healthy competition among students. Indeed, creating a social element to educational technology can allow for healthy competition amongst peers either in the same classroom or across the country. Performing well and earning badges to gain virtual social status is at the heart of many social applications today and using technology to make education have social elements can make learning very addictive.

    While our society may not be there yet, it is now a known fact that technology can replace infrastructure and thus result in huge savings for the government and for parents. Desks, books, laboratory equipment and other items are a heavy cost burden on schools everywhere. Technology and devices can help save on these costs. In addition, geographically isolated or economically disadvantaged children can benefit from access to online software or resources which would otherwise be cost prohibitive.

    Technology can also help in addressing one of the most urgent problems in our schools today. That is, the problem of reliance on obsolete textbooks that are not regularly updated. Some reports say that students sometimes continue to use textbooks that are up to 10 years old. This is not acceptable and technology can help in ensuring the timely updating of academic information because updating software and educational content is not as expensive or cumbersome as updating textbooks. With the help of technology, course curriculum can reflect real world data and in some applications, students can be exposed to real-time information.

    Technology ensures that students, classrooms, schools and teachers can be connected to anyone in the world instantly. Devices coupled with the Internet can allow for a free way to communicate globally. The opportunity to understand international or different cultural perspectives on the same topic is invaluable and incredible.

    This requires stronger training upfront and continual professional development and support, to enhance performance and learning outcomes. It is for the reasons above, amongst others that the Lagos State government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has resolved to prepare and equip teachers for the challenges and excitement of adopting modern communications’ tools and methods of delivering instructions in the classroom. As the ones entrusted with our children’s future, this government places huge premium on the training of teachers. Our teachers must be properly trained and subjected to continuous training such that our schools and the products of our educational system will rank amongst the best in the world.

    In this technology-driven world, teachers are pacesetters, role models, disciplinarians, restorers of values and above all as agents of change equipped with communications’ tools and instructional aids for efficient and effective service delivery. It is in view of this that the Lagos State government has continued to invest in the training and retraining of teachers in its public schools to ensure that they are properly equipped to deliver premium, relevant and globally-competitive instructions.

    The overall intent is to raise excellent faculties for various courses taught in our high schools, colleges and learning institutions in Lagos State. These faculties will be defined as: teachers of exceptional ability; teachers capable of adapting the basic tools of effective communications at imparting knowledge; teachers who will be dexterous at optimizing Microsoft PowerPoint as a tool of instructional delivery; teachers of great learning capabilities with enhanced competencies in instructional deliveries and teachers who will make learning fun for adopting “hands-on” methodology in imparting knowledge.

    It is expected that public schools teachers in the state will in return reciprocate this kind gesture by rededicating themselves to the core values of the noble profession, eschew indiscipline, disloyalty and nonchalant attitude, utilize what they have learnt in at various trainings to enable them be at par with their colleagues all around the world.

    It is only when teachers are effectively positioned to produce students that are capable of launching the state and, indeed, the country into league of industrial and technologically powered societies that ‘Itesiwaju Ipinle Ekol’o je wal’ogun’, (the progress of Lagos State is paramount to us) which is the mantra of the Akinwunmi Ambode administration can amply become a breath taking reality.

     

    • Dr. Benson Oke, FCArb, is Honourable Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Lagos State.
  • Benefits of effective communication to relationships

    Benefits of effective communication to relationships

    The best way to keep a relationship flowing well is to communicate effectively with the other party.

    Communication, which is more than just exchanging information but all about understanding the emotions and intentions behind the information, brings closeness between two spouses.

    There are two ways to communicate and I want you to know that communication is not only based on conveying your messages in a way that your partner would understand but its also about giving ears. In other words, listening to the message that is being conveyed and making your partner realise that you’re actually with him/her. It is also a way to show that you care.

    Another essential reason for communication in relationships is that it breaks the barriers of fear, shyness, isolation and not being opened to your spouse or other relations.

    Difficult message can be communicated without creating conflict between both parties if they are so grinded in their communication skills.

    Nevertheless, if you have a weak communication skills with your partner it is not too late to improve on it. To improve on your communication skills, you must become an engaged listener as said earlier.

    Pay careful attention to non verbal signals such as facial expression, body language, gestures, posture and eye contact well because they are the actions that speaks louder than voice. If you understand them well you would be able to use it effectively to communicate and also to study the moods of your spouse before or during communication.

    Make sure before any communication with your partner, you examine yourself to be stress Free in other to give him/her 100% attention and never forget to defend oneself.

    Defending oneself simply means expressing your thoughts, feelings and needs in an open and honest way. It does not mean being hostile or aggressive but standing up for your self and respecting others.

    Communication in relationship is all about understanding your spouse, sharing thoughts and being close to him/her. It is not about winning or forcing your opinions on your spouse.

  • Minister, LCCI, telcos condemn Communication Tax Bill

    Minister, LCCI, telcos condemn Communication Tax Bill

    Communications Tehnology Minister,  Adebyo Shittu yesterday in Lagos joined other stakeholders in condemning the Communication Tax Bill pending before the National Assembly, warning that it is capable of threatening the acheivement of the 30 per cent broadband penetration level set by the National Broadband Plan of the Federal Government.

    Shittu, who delivered the keynote address at a forum organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said the sector has created jobs with its multiplier effect on other sectors of the economy including e-commerce and online shops.

    He said the proposed bill has been criticised by experts who argue that over 60 million Nigerians would be unable to afford basic broadband connection.

    He argued that if the country must move from the current 10 per cent broadband penetration level, there is need to incentivise the populace by through access to low cost data subscription.

    Shittu also said the bill was discriminatory because it targeted only the communication industry to the exclusion of other sectors of the economy.

    He said rather than overtax an already overburdened industry, there is need for government to stimulate the economy and encourage the adoption of communication service by both the rich and poor. The minister said though the government needed money to fund projects, the expected earnings of N20 billion per month from the proposed bill may not be in the interest of the generality of the populace.

    Also, the LCCI and telcos took their turn to highlight the dangers the proposed tax would have on the economy.

    Chairman, LCCI, Communication Law and Taxation Committee, Mr. Bimbo Atitola said the bill, if passed into law, will adversely affect the economy, adding that it could easily be challenged in court as operators will see it as double taxation and illegal since they are already paying value added tax (VAT).

    He cited the  case between Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) and Eko Hotel where the court held that sales tax amounted to double taxation.

    He said the bill will further compromise third party privacy as safety of data cannot be guaranteed. Atitola advised that additional costs will lead to increase in cost of production, affect consumer behaviour and negate the principle of neutrality. The LCCI committee chairman further said countries with higher taxes have been known to have lower broadband penetration which is a disincentive to foreign direct investment (FDI).

    He urged the National Assembly to suspend the bill or exempt  telcos as they are currently over-taxed. He also added that it was ill-timed and that if it must be passed into law,  the tax should be reduced to below five per cent. In his comparative analysis, he said Cameroon was considering 0 per cent VAT on all ICT products including handsets and computers while Kenya recently removed taxes on all telecoms equipment in a bid to drive growth.

    President, Association of   Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olushola Teniola also called for the discontinuance of debate on the bill as it would not add any value to the economy.

    He said the telcos are currently made to pay over 15 taxes either directly or indirectly not minding the fact that they have contributed enormously to the growth of the economy. “The perceived benefits of the tax will erode the gains; there will be decrease in foreign direct investment (FDI) and its implementation would lead to increase in unemployment,” Teniola warned.