By Aloysius Umalo Makurdi
Stakeholders on Tuesday rose from a one day Summit with the resolve to support the dream of Benue State Government to prioritize digital infrastructure development, and work towards establishing Benue as a premier digital hub that connects communities with 21st-century opportunities.
The stakeholders' resolution is contained in a Communiqué issued at the end of the summit, held in Makurdi, the state capital.
Receiving participants at the summit earlier, the Managing Director of BDIC, Mr. Gbande- Hembaor Terwase urged stakeholders to join forces, prioritize digital infrastructure development, and work together towards establishing Benue as a premier digital hub that connects communities with 21st-century opportunities.
He reaffirmed the dedication of BDIC to providing advanced digital infrastructure that fosters innovation, improves service delivery, and empowers citizens across Benue State and beyond.
Gbande- Hembaor expressed the importance of aligning policy, investment, and regulation in order to accelerate access to strong digital infrastructure in Benue State.
"The goal is to create opportunities for every citizen in the state".
He said BDIC was established as a special entity to provide reliable cutting-edge digital infrastructure that fosters innovation, enhances service delivery, and promotes socio-economic development not only in Benue State but also beyond its borders.
"The aim of the summit organized by BDIC is to bring together key players in the telecom industry, including government agencies, investment partners, telecom operators, and development partners", adding that the goal is to create a framework for progress in the digital infrastructure sector.
Terwase emphasized the importance of collaboration in achieving sustainable broadband expansion.
He highlighted the need for investment partnerships and policy harmonization, particularly in areas such as right of way, infrastructure protection, and shared deployment.
He urged participants to think beyond technology and focus on turning Benue State into a digital hub that connects communities with opportunities of the 21st century.
Representing the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetekun, the Officer in Charge of Communications for the Benue State Command, SP. Emmanuel Aningeh, underscored the critical role that telecommunications infrastructure plays in driving national development, economic growth, and security operations.
He expressed concern over the increasing incidents of fiber optic cable theft, vandalism of communication equipment, and sabotage of telecom infrastructure.
"These criminal acts not only disrupt service delivery but also compromise national security and emergency response systems".
He noted that the Nigeria Police Force has been working to strengthen operational strategies and collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to enforce laws and regulations protecting critical national communications infrastructure.
IGP Egbetekun directed police commands nationwide to intensify surveillance, intelligence-led patrols, and community policing engagement around telecom installations to combat vandalism and sabotage effectively.
"Offenders will be prosecuted in accordance with the law".
The IGP commended the Benue State Government for convening the telecom stakeholders summit to address these national concerns.
He reiterated the commitment of the force to safeguarding Nigeria's telecommunications assets and ensuring the integrity of national infrastructure for sustainable development and national security.
Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, the CEO of Galaxy Backbone, commended the Benue telecom stakeholders summit for its commitment to digital connectivity and partnerships that will strengthen Benue's role in Nigeria's digital economy.
He applauded the initiative for addressing key issues such as infrastructure investment and management critical to Nigeria's digital transformation.
Represented by the Head, Network and Infrastructure Support Services, Mr. Dele Adeoti, Professor Adeyanju also praised the visionary leadership of the Benue State Government in positioning the state as a hub in the country's digital transformation journey.
The summit's focus on collaboration and unlocking the full potential of digital connectivity is a crucial step towards fostering growth and innovation in Benue State.
The first ever Benue State Telecommunications Summit with the theme "Fibre Network Investment, Right of Way Processing and infrastructure management", drew participants from all works of life.
