Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami says the Federal government had not taken action to scrap or privatise the Nigerian Communications Satellite NiGCOMSAT because he had continued to intervene on its behalf.
He warned that the window of grace should not be taken for granted by the management of the agency because there is a limit to which the plea could be allowed.
He then challenged the board and new management staff of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, NIGCOMSAT to turn the agency around and make the Institution very productive and effective or risk privatization or outright scrapping.
The minister sounded the warning on Friday at a one-day Ministerial retreat for the board and management staff of NIGCOMSAT in Abuja with the theme: Re-Engineering NIGCOMSAT Management for 4th Industrial Revolution and Exponential Growth.
He urged the management to reposition the organization for better performance and bring about the desired change in the face of the dwindling government revenue earnings.
‘‘Think outside the box on how to revive NIGCOMSAT and make it more effective.
NIGCOMSAT and make it more effective.
The 2012 Oransanye report recommended merging and scrapping 106 Federal government institutions. I have carefully studied the report and observed that the recommendation of institutions to be retained and those to be scrapped depends largely on performance.
‘‘If we can turn things around and make our Institution very productive and effective, there is no way the government can think of scrapping or merging our institution.
“NITDA was recommended to be scrapped but today, the way NITDA has performed, the government is not talking about scrapping NITDA again or merging NITDA rather, the government is talking about adding more responsibilities to the agency.
’‘If NIGCOMSAT fails to utilize this opportunity, I don’t think there would be any time it can do so.’’
On why the new MD of NIGCOMSAT was picked from the private sector, Pantami said, ‘‘If you want to change things positively in a government company, you bring someone from the industry because if you bring someone from the government, it will be business as usual. If we fail to turn things around, from time to time, that issue will re-emerge on whether NIGCOMSAT should be privatized or commercialized.
Pantami, who lamented the contribution of the public sector to aggregate demand, described civil servants as the engine of government but noted that they were no longer the same, particularly in Africa, as some of them were no longer supportive of government but use their unions to intimidate the government.
‘’Civil servants are the engine of government but unfortunately in Nigeria, the reverse is the case in Nigeria. Sometimes, civil servants will not be supportive, they use their unions to intimidate the government.
‘‘With all the resources, the country is endowed with the private sector controls the economy, and government institutions usually find it difficult to turn things around and to think out of the box.
‘‘Today, if you look at the National aggregate demand, with all the resources, the private sector controls more than 92 per cent, the entire Federation revenue is less than 8 percent of our national aggregate demand because people in government find it difficult to turn things around.
‘’Any policy introduced is mostly abused, there are so many important laws in Nigeria but in the course of implementation, instead of making use of them positively, they will sometimes become a challenge
Earlier, the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Engr. Tukur Mohammed Lawal said he desired to nudge NIGCOMSAT Ltd toward the path of profitability.
‘’As a private sector manager of human and material resources, I desire to nudge NIGCOMSAT Ltd unto the path of profitability. With your support, Hon. Minister, the team l met on the ground is poised for a new NIGCOMSAT Ltd. My appeal to my colleagues at the management level and staff of NIGCOMSAT Ltd is to come to terms with the reality ahead of us.
‘‘We need to restore confidence in the Nigerian public in our effort towards reenergizing the company. The task ahead is truly daunting with the deployment of foreign satellites in the Nigerian space.’’
With less than four years to deorbit the present satellite (NigComSat 1R), he called for the launch of NigComSat 2 to further boost the confidence and strength of the market..
‘’The satellite market in Africa and Nigeria, in particular, is large enough and NIGCOMSAT cannot be left out. The launch of NigComSat 2 will further boost our confidence and strength the market. There is a need to fast track and quickly ensure additional satellites to the country’s space industry cannot be overemphasized.’’
Lawal also appealed to the Minister to, before leaving office facilitate an enabling ACT through the national assembly that will not only protect but position NIGCOMSAT on the pedestal to realize the organization’s vision. The ACT, he said is to give it leverage in the available market atmosphere especially those of government and the private sector.
In his remarks, the Board Chairman, of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Arch. Yusuf Kazaure said Nigeria cannot wait behind while the rest of the world moves ahead with the speed of the 4th Industrial revolution.
‘‘The world is coming to grips with the realities of the emergence of a new world order characterized by a combination of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other advanced technologies.
‘‘This is the 4th industrial revolution which builds on the foundations of the first three revolutions namely the steam engine, the age of science and mass production and the rise of digital technology. While most of the developing world like Africa is still grappling with the 3rd revolution, the rest of the world has moved on to the 4th revolution which has brought the need for new skills in both management and leadership.
‘‘No doubt, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the way we live, work and associate with one another. It forms part of our human development, supported and empowered by exceptional technological advances.
‘‘Thus, today presents us a great opportunity to learn about 4IR. We appreciate that such an opportunity to learn does not come along often.’’
He, however, enjoined all his colleagues to pay maximum attention as the proceedings of the retreat will form a foundation for the proposed Board /Management in a few weeks and chart a road map for NIGCOMSAT for the years to come.