TECHDIGEST – The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said telecoms infrastructure is very critical to successful conduct of the 2023 general elections. He, therefore, urged every Nigerian in every community to join hands in protecting it for the benefit of the country.

Danbatta, who was special guest at the sixth edition of the Annual Conference of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos, with focus on the forthcoming election, said with the planned transmission of election data and results riding on telecom infrastructure, there was need to ensure the fidelity of the transmission systems to enhance the credibility of such data.

“If telecom infrastructure is vandalised or damaged, it would create problem in the area of data transmission during election; citizens will find it difficult to use their phones to seamlessly communicate and journalists too might find it difficult in being able to access their web platforms to disseminate necessary information, which members of the public require to make informed decisions at every point,” he said.

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Danbatta recalled that, over the years, the telecoms sector has continued to face destabilising situations arising from negative attitudes and actions of hostile communities; theft of diesel, batteries and power generators from telecom base stations; digging up and cutting of fibre optic cables by construction workers; indiscriminate sealing/locking-up of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites by state governments, other governmental and community stakeholders; as well as other disruptive activities, which must be decisively tackled.

While reiterating the importance of telecommunications in all aspects of human lives, including the forthcoming election and other national activities and programmes, Danbatta said that without telecoms infrastructure, it will be difficult to communicate with family and friends over long distances or conduct banking, insurance, or access government and other social services, including education, entertainment and other essential services that enhance quality of life.

“This means that telecom infrastructure is important, and we must all ensure that we guard and protect those critical national infrastructural assets now, during the upcoming elections and thereafter. So, every citizen in Nigeria must take responsibility.”

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