29 governors betraying consensus on N145 telecoms RoW charges

THERE ARE INDI CATIONS THAT 29 governors in the country are not honouring the sanctity of N145 per linear metre agreed as Right of Way (RoW) charges for deployment of telecommunications infrastructure in their respective states.

This was further buttressed by Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy at the virtual sectoral forum organized recently by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

At the programme, operators and industry observers expressed concerns that till date, only seven out of the 36 state government authorities in the state have so far either slashed RoW to N145 per linear metre or less or waive it completely.

Investigations show that two states each in North West (Kaduna 0; Katsina 145, respectively); North Central (Kwara State 1; Plateau

145 respectively) and South East (Anambra 0; Imo 145 respectively) have declared their positions on the new charges.

Responding, the minister said that any state authority that refuses to comply with the harmonized price is betraying an agreement between the federal government, stressing that such is unacceptable.

Pantami stressed that while he met with the leaders and members of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Kayode Fayemi, the NGF chairman promised operators and concerned federal government agencies that

“after this discussion, we will never need to talk about this ever again.”

The minister said that the meeting which was attended by at least 35 governors in person and by proxy ended in a consensus whereby the governors agreed to end exorbitant RoW charges on deployment of telecoms infrastructures in their states.

“We explained to them how compliance with the prescribed RoW will help in broadband deployment in their states and how this in return will raise the states’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) later. Based on this understanding, they agreed to drop the high charges,” he said.

Pantami said that it should be expected that even those governors that have not announced the slash in RoW will comply.

“The announcement that later came from the seven governors is just to make it known to the public. The agreement had been sealed already and any governor that is acting contrary to it must be reported. We will intervene and again engage with their leadership.”

Reacting to question on the eventual signing of the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) for protection of telecoms facilities in the country, he said the draft had been taken to National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Attorney General of the Federation (NGF) for review and now, the proposed law has been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The minister gave good tidings that “while I cannot say precisely when the President will sign the document, I’ve taken time to explain to him how important it is to have the law in place. So, I can say that the President will sign it as soon as possible.

To further reduce cost of operations and delivery of telecoms services to the Nigerian populace, Pantami said he had met with the Accountant General last week to discuss how the telecoms industry can be relieved of illegal multiple taxation.

Earlier, Olusola Teniola, ATCON president, explained that both the pandemic and post pandemic eras put so much demand on the operators to support digital life that is dictated by the new normal.

“At the heart of this lie the goal of 70 per cent broadband penetration and protection of consumer interests in the country and these form the basis for the sectoral virtual forum to bring together regulator, operators and telecoms consumers,” he said.