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As Nigerians expect implementation of the 5G network, fresh indication has emerged that the deployment of the network will take place in January next year.
Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting on vandalism of power and telecommunications infrastructure, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, who disclosed this, said that the federal government has set January 2022 as deadline for the network deployment.
Pantami, who also expressed optimism that the deployment of the deployment of the 5G network would aid surveillance against vandalism of public assets, said that the technology would boost surveillance against criminal elements vandalising the infrastructure.
According to him, the over 50,000 telecommunication sites across the country would be difficult to man manually except through deployment of modern technology.At the event held in Maiduguri, other experts also charted way out of the challenges of vandalim. The also featured the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno and his Deputy, Mr Usman Kadafur and other stakeholders.
Harping on the network deployment, Pantami, who was represented by the Commissioner for Technical Services, Nigeria Communication Commission, Mr Ubale Maska,said the 5G network expressed optimism that the network recently approved by the Federal Executive Council would enhance the economy.
While urging the National Assembly to expedite the passage of Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill for onward submission to the President for assent, Pantami said while the technology would boost surveillance against criminal elements vandalising public infrastructure across the country, other measures should be put in place to arrest them and bring them to book.
As efforts are ongoing to boost the security architecture across the country, the minister noted that protection of the critical infrastructural facility was key to the nation’s security, economic vitality, public health and safety.
He explained that frequent network utages experienced in some places were as a result of fiber cuts, access denial and theft leading to service disruption in the affected areas
