The Federal Government is in the process of developing a national Information and Communication Technology broadband network in its effort to build broadband Internet backbone infrastructure in the country. A statement on Thursday said the government was also considering the establishment of another Information Technology skill capacity building body to be known as the National Network for Education and Research, which required the setting up of Special Purpose Vehicles for its implementation. This was disclosed by the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, while delivering a keynote address during the third West African Information Communication Technology Congress last week in Lagos. According to the minister, "It is hoped that the ongoing ICT policy harmonisation being undertaken by the ministry will provide the necessary legal framework for the operation of the SPVs to facilitate the implementation of the two schemes." She said through the ministry, the government was also putting necessary arrangement in place to ensure that interested stakeholders willing to participate in the venture were given the opportunity to do so. While urging the stakeholders at the forum to collaborate with the government in driving ubiquitous broadband, Johnson said the ministry was ready to work with the private sector towards ensuring that broadband was further leveraged to consolidate the successes so far recorded in the nations ICT industry for socio-economic development. "You must have been following the global development of the ICT sector and acknowledged Nigerias current status in the provision of broadband infrastructure for the socio-economic development of the country. This is the time for us to work together willingly, with the zeal of overcoming the challenge and soar high as the eagle in no distant time," she said. Commenting on the theme of this years edition of WAFICT, organised annually by the IT and Telecoms Digest magazine, the minister said, "An Emerging New Frontier: Opportunities and potential for Development of Broadband Services" was timely and in line with governments desire to transform all sectors of the economy through a robust and reliable broadband infrastructure for the country. She further noted that a number of efforts had been made by both the government and the private sector to develop the broadband industry but a lot more needed to be done to link up the country. The minister said,"Government has over the years noted its responsibility to provide the basic infrastructure for our development and realised the constraint on the available resources and has provided the enabling legal framework for private sector participation. "Similarly, governments readiness to partner the private sector can be seen from the provisions of the Communications Act of 2003 and the subsequent creation of the Universal Service Provision Fund. This Fund is basically designed to assist interested stakeholders in ICT infrastructure development to access some funds in line with the laid down regulations of the Act.""The onus is now on the stakeholders to avail themselves of the various programmes set out to advance ICT development in the country and make judicious use of accessed funds by delivering the projects as agreed. Nigerians on their part should guard all installed equipment and basic infrastructure jealously while making use of the facilities judiciously. Patriotism should be exhibited by all players to advance the country in this business."
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