HonOURABLE Usman Bawa, Acting Chairman of the House of Represen-tatives Committee on Communications, has said that its committee acknowledged the various challenges faced by telecommunications operators in Nigeria.   

The challenges include multiple taxations by state and Federal Government agencies, and bureau-cratic bottlenecks that negatively affect the ability of operators to roll out the necessary infrastructure at sufficient speed to meet demand.

Leading members of the committee on tour of MTN’s telecom-munication infrastructure and facilities in Lagos last week as part of their oversight functions stated the House was investigating all these challenges and develop-ing ways to redress them.

According to him, the House had already commenced dialogue with the Ministry of Environment and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to resolve matters related to the administrative bottlenecks that hampered the issuance of various permits that are necessary for telecommunications expansion.

With particular reference to the protection of telecommunications equipment, infra-structure and workers, Hon. Bawa revealed that the House was well disposed to supporting legislation to categorise telecommunication infrastructure as ‘critical national infrastructure and penalize those who vandalize them’.

The committee commended the Nigeria’s leading telecommuni-cations company, MTN, for its massive investment in network infrastructure in the country. They made the commendation after a tour of MTN’s facilities in Lagos, last week.

Hon. Bawa said the committee was impressed with the level of investment in core telecommunications infrastructure and its ancillary facilities, including power generation and back-up systems.

He observed that the company’s commitment to infrastructural development demonstrated the sincerity of MTN’s commitment to quality service delivery.

The Corporate Services Executive, MTN, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, in his remarks, assured the committee members that MTN would continue to invest in the network to enhance quality of service and expand service to under-served areas.

He disclosed that MTN, which has invested more than any other network in the last 10 years, had invested $1 billion in 2011 in network optimisation and expansion. He stated that the company would continue to invest heavily in Nigeria.