By Prince Osuagwu
Galaxy Wireless Communications Limited (GWCL) yesterday denied that it petitioned President Umaru Yar’Adua regarding the recent controversial licensing of national frequencies in the 2.3GHz band by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Galaxy Wireless said it was reacting to some newspaper editorials, quoting it as having petitioned the Presidency on the licensing issue.

It, however, said it will not be making any further statements on this issue, as the matter had been referred to its solicitors.

A statement signed by the  Manager, Media Relations, Joy Idoko, described Galaxy Wireless as a responsible corporate citizen made up of experienced professionals committed to the deployment of technological solutions to communication challenges and could not have done that.

The statement added that “our attention has been drawn to the Editorial page of Guardian Newspapers of June 8, 2009 titled “Controversy over telecom licenses” where the newspaper wrote “ A fourth bidder, Galaxy Wireless, which was not so lucky in coming up with the required amounts within five days of the notification has petitioned President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua that the bidding process was flawed and insinuated that there must have been insider knowledge for the successful bidders to have instantly mobilized the required amounts.

We wish to state categorically and in very strong terms that the above statement is completely false as Galaxy Wireless did not petition President Yar’Adua or any person for that matter either directly or indirectly regarding the said telecom licenses.”

Part of the statement also said  “we should not allow the grudges of Galaxy Wireless to derail the provision of broadband internet to Nigerians”.

Galaxy Wireless Communications is a licensee of the NCC incorporated in Nigeria as an affiliate of Galaxy Wireless Networks Inc. (GWN), a broadband wireless technology integrator with headquarters in Calgary Alberta , Canada .

The company’s global networks consist of carrier-class, broadband-capable platforms designed to carry mission critical data throughout diverse geographical locations, fully meshed and integrated with IP-based element managers that seamlessly plug into any intranet or the Internet to provide comprehensive element, subscriber, and performance management.