By Prince Osuagwu & Emeka Aginam

Stakeholders in the Nigerian ICT sector, at the weekend, expressed mixed reactions to the proposed bill seeking to make the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, NigComSat Ltd, a Corporation.

This was as a group of ICT magazine publishers under the aegis of ICT Publishers Alliance gathered Nigerians of all walks of life at the Protea Hotels Ikeja, Lagos on a one day seminar tagged Stakeholders’ Forum on the Nigeria Communications Satellite Bill.

The conference turned outto be  a forum to debate the issue of government’s role in business and attracted mixed reactions from the participants.

The proposed NigComSat bill specifically seeks to establish an Act that will give the NigComSat Corporation power to engage in, purchase and otherwise acquire or take over the assets, business, company, firm or persons and act in furtherance of all and any business associated and or relating to the satellite industry.

The bill has already gained approval from the House of Representatives as at March 2012, but faces stiff opposition from the Senate.

If the Senate however approves it, the bill is expected to be sent to the President for assent and upon becoming an Act, all assets and liabilities of NIGCOMSAT will be inherited by the new corporation.

Addressing participants at the forum, Chief Executive Officer of NigComSat, Engr Timasaniyu Ahmed- Rufai, explained that NigComSat was not competing with any telecommunications or broadcasting agency, but an enabler and infrastructure upon which even the telecommunications companies and other relevant institutions should leverage their businesses.

He rallied stakeholders support to the passage of the bill, saying that would make NigComSat more profitable as it would now have the autonomy to function without interference.

According to Rufai, the company has projected to attain global coverage of its satellite footprint in the next four years and “the Bill will allow NigComsat to borrow from the bank to launch more satellite for effective business activities rather than rely on the annual budget, as this restricts the extent to which the company can go”

It was at this point that industry stakeholders took the bill to the theatre for x-ray. Although some stakeholders expressed fears that NigComSat could become uncontrollable with the bill passed, great majority of participants saw a bill that would empower the satellite company to embolden the country’s economy like its counterparts in other developed worlds.

Chief among the people, who saw positives in the bill, was Mr Shola Taylor, a well respected and internationally acclaimed ICT professional. Taylor cautioned against  nursing unnecessary fears and creating tensions around the bill would only deny the economy of the benefits an independent satellite company can bring.

He advised that Nigerians should look at the articles and prescriptions of the bill and if necessary detect what should be expunged rather than blanket condemnation of the bill as that may not be to the best interest of the economy.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the occasion and President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Engr Lanre Ajayi, also noted that as citizens of the state, there was need to guide the Senate on the need for the  satellite company to be able to run businesses on its own with less government bureaucracy.

Ajayi noted that satellite technology was a very desirable technology in Nigeria and best complements other terrestrial technologies that are also very relevant to Nigeria’s quest to digital inclusion.

Ajayi said that “the major advantage of satellite is its ubiquitousness. In a country like ours, where we have many rural communities, satellite becomes an option. If we must progress, we cannot run away from developing satellite technology and government must support this.”

However, the Chief Executive Officer, Teledom Group, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, advised the proponents of the bill to thread the path of caution. Accpording to him, the bill, if passed, may give NigComSat express power to operate as a business venture and a regulator.

He argued that “the bill is borne out of patriotism but with respect to the current structures on ground, NigComSat is sufficient enough to achieve its objective as contained in the bill. I would suggest that the satellite company strives to stretch its functions and powers and see if it can not achieve the desires as contained in the proposed bill,” he added.

But for the Executive Committee member of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, Mr. Yeri Okeremi, the presence of government in business is necessitated by some factors, including the provision of technology, social perception and legislation which he described as the tripod that must be present before a revolution can happen.

He said these are investments which ordinary individuals may not have the resources to provide. For him,  “we must perceive satellite communication as critical national infrastructure  which require everything to protect including legislation and we must sit down to see that we do everything to see that this bill becomes a law.”

Representative of Olisa Agbakoba Chambers & Co, the law firm responsible for the drafting of the NigComSat Bill, Mr. Victor Uwankasi, also explained extensively on the desirability and contents of the Bill, saying that to aid Nigeria’s emerging development issue, application of laws have become necessary. He said that the contents of the NigComSat bill have been developed to align with what the laws allow.  “NigComsat should be protected in the best interest of the citizens,” he said.

However, the President, Nigeria Internet Group, Mr. Bayo Banjo, expressed fear that “the Bill will convert NigComSat to fully government-owned company even as the company is already a limited liability. “I can’t see a reason for this bill because the company is already a limited liability. The bill is not in the interest of Nigeria.