By LAIDE   AKINBOADE
ABUJA — President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday, directed Ministries, Department and Agencies,MDAs, to connect to the newly launched replacement of Nigerian Communications Satellite, NigComSat-1R so that the advantages of the new technology would help them quicken governance for the benefit of Nigerians.

Jonathan gave the directive at the In Orbit Delivery, IOD, ceremony of Nigcomsat 1R in Abuja. According to him, the IOD marks the beginning of commercial activities of satellite for the benefits of Nigerians and the world at large.

Jonathan, who was represented by former Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Turner Isoun, added: “There is nothing to worry about as government has set in motion to launch NigComSat 2 and 3 as backups to Nigcomsat-1R.”

He said the back-ups would provide respite in case of any unforeseen situation as it happened in the past.

He formally took delivery of the satellite at the ground station of NIGCOMSAT Ltd, from the President of China Great Wall Industry Corporation, CGWIC,Yin Liming, who was contracted to build and launch the satellite

In his speech, the president said: “I urge  all Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs, to hook up to NigComSat-1R to take the advantage of this new technology to quicken and expedite governance to the benefit of Nigerians.

“One of the critical objectives of this administration is the need to improve the living conditions of our people by creating economic emancipation and empowerment through ICT, which has remained a viable transformation vehicle for our economic stability, educational growth and social welfare.

“China has been one of our bigger trade partners with whom we have very robust bilateral relationship. That this satellite was replaced at no cost to Nigeria testifies to the faith and confidence that country has in Nigeria.”

Replaced without additional cost

Meanwhile, President of CGWIC, Yin Liming, while handing over the satellite to Jonathan, said the company kept to its promise of replacing the NIGCOMSAT 1R for Nigeria without any additional cost, adding that the orbit test was completed and acceptance review was successful.

Noting that space development has been prioritised as key national programmes and strategic innovative industry in China, Liming said the company looked forward to cooperating with Nigeria in more programmes like following up communications satellite, space infrastructure programme and making joint efforts for the great expectation of the two nations.

Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, said the commencement of commercial activities on NigComSat 1R opens several opportunities and gains for the industry stakeholders to bring the benefits of this key ICT infrastructure to end users.

NIgComSat 1R ‘ll enable us  meet mandate

Managing Director of NIGCOMSAt, Engr. Ahmed Rufai explained that “the launch on December 19 last year of NigcomSat 1R in Xichnnag, China and the IOD remains to us and all Nigerians a spectacle of history. Nigeria has finally joined the big league in communications satellite service provision as NigComSat 1R boasts of several opportunities with footprints across Africa, part of Europe and Asia.”

He expressed the determination of the agency to go to the next level by providing a satellite platform that would be the pride of all Africans in general and Nigeria in particular

The MD said: “The NIgComSat 1R will enable us to meet our core mandate in covering the entire Africa, part of Europe and Asia with clear, clean and high resolution signals on our foot prints.”