By PRINCE OSUAGWU & LAIDE AKINBOADE
MINISTER of information and communications, Prof Dora Akunyili has said that after reviewing the existing telecommunications policy, the Federal Government has decided to bring new policy that will re-shape telecommunication operations in Nigeria.

Minister of Information and Communications

Akunyili said the existing policy which came into place in 2000 has lost touch with current situations on ground, particularly as it regards to growths that can affect the economy positively.

Akunyili who was represented by her technical adviser, Onuoha Nnachi, at the sixth edition of West and Central Africa forum held in Abuja, also revealed that the new policy would focus more on rural infrastructure deployment.

She noted that the existing policy was becoming out of fashion and could no longer meet the present needs of telecommunication operations, hence a call for its review.

She said a committee has already been set up and that the members of the committee had since commenced work, promising that the new policy will soon be released.

Addressing the need for rural infrastructure development, Akunyili said the existing policy did not give room for that, but that it has been taken care of in the new policy that will be released soon. According to her, rural communities are yet to benefit immensely from the current telecommunication revolution, a situation she said, needs to be addressed urgently, adding that so many telecommunication poles and cables  waste away because there are no proper policies to channel them into better usage.