Expert lauds FG’s achievement in telecom sector

A telecom consultant, Mr Taiye Olaniyi, has commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on its achievement in the telecom sector in two years, especially on the reform of the postal sub-sector.

Olaniyi, a former General Manager, Corporate Communications, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) made the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

He described the public hearing on the postal reform by the Senate Committee on Communications as a good development.

“For the first time in the history of the country, we heard a public hearing by the Senate on bills concerning the sector.

“This has not been the case before now, but this government has made it possible for the public to come to the senate, have a second reading on the postal reform bill and make their own inputs.

“So, the government has really done well and should be commended for creating an enabling environment for the sector to flourish, making policy on postal reform and even creating a roadmap for the sector to work with.

“The hearing made it possible for a heighten awareness on the part of the public on the purpose for the postal bill, the reforms planned in the sector,’’ he said.

According to Olaniyi, the government has succeeded in creating greater awareness among the citizenry on optimal utilisation of telecom facilities available.

“You know now the number of people that are using telecom facilities, once upon a time, we only knew about postal services and land phones to communicate with others.

“But now nearly every member of the family has an android or one smart device or the other because this government continued with the programmes started by the previous administration.

“Government is a continuum and this government should be commended for continuing the programmes of former government and we can see it in the improvement that is going on in the telecom sector.

“In as much as there has been much talk on fighting corruption and probing the past government but personally I believe the change that the government is calling for must start with itself, however, relatively there is an improvement in governance,’’ he said.

He said that since government was a continuum, any government that was able to leverage on what the previous government had done must as of necessity progress.

Olaniyi said that if the government continued in this spirit in all areas, the country would be better for it in the coming years.