Isah Pantami Archives - Leading Reporters

The Federal Executive Council has approved the National Policy on Fifth Generation (5G) Networks for Nigeria’s Digital Economy.

The 5G Policy was approved at the Council meeting today, Wednesday, following the presentation by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami).

According a statement signed by the Technical Assistant on Information Technology to the Minister, Dr Femi Adeluyi, implementation of the National Policy is with immediate effect.

The National Policy has been developed over a period of 2 years, due to the need for extensive stakeholder engagement and the need to ensure adequate public awareness and sensitization.

The stakeholder engagement was thorough and multi-sectoral in nature. It also took into account the report of the 3-month 5G trials that commenced on the 25th of November 2019.

The report critically reviewed and studied the health and security implications of deploying 5G in Nigeria.

Leading international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an organ of the United Nations, have confirmed that the deployment of 5G networks leave no adverse health effect and are safe.

Experts say 5G networks offer significant advantages over the current technologies.

Some of its advantages include much lower latency, higher bandwidth, greater device density, longer battery life for nodes and greater network flexibility. Several countries have already commenced the deployment of 5G and are enjoying its benefits. These countries include the United States, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Lesotho, to mention but a few.

The National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), chaired by Minister Pantami, said it will soon release spectrum to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that meet all the required conditions.

The NCC, the regulator of the telecommunications sector, has promised to continue to engaging stakeholders with a view to developing the regulatory instruments required for the successful deployment of the technology in Nigeria.

A group known as Security Watchers has written to President Muhammudu Buhari, Head of African Union, United States of America, European Union and other security stakeholders alleging that the current Minister of Communication Sheik Isah Pantami and Digital Economy has long history of fanaticism and provocative activities.

The group said that Pantami’s antecedence suggests a systematic link and subtle sympathy with terrorist organisation, making him unfit to head a ministry as sensitive as Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy. “Insecurity thrives on compromised communication management”. The group wrote.

Part of the letter sighted by LeadingReporters reads:

“A man who was banished from Bauchi State at one point in time because of his activities which caused security breach cannot be honoured with a national assignment, more especially when the menace of Boko Haram, Banditry and other forms of criminalities is ravaging the nation and impoverishing millions of Nigerians.

“Security is hinged on communication. A compromised communication system will aid terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminalities as we are currently experiencing in Nigeria under Pantami as Minister of communication.

“These criminals make calls, send messages and execute their nefarious plans in Nigeria leveraging on communication. In other nations, most of the criminal activities have been traced through communication – calls and sms. Pantami has either refused to initiate strategies through which these criminals should be nabbed or he does not know a jack about the ministry he prides himself as a sage.

The group further appeals to President Buhari and other stakeholders to reinvestigate the reason why Pantami was banished from Bauchi and reconsider if he is fit for a position of a minister in a sensitive ministry as ministry of communication and digital economy.

“The country now needs people with verifiable profiles and clean past that do not suggest allegiance to terrorist groups. Pantami is highly sectional, laden with religious bigotry. He may be selling out.

“Go through his social media official handle. It speaks volume of a man who knows nothing about social cohesion and tolerance. He only replies to comments made by those whose names suggest they hail from a particular side of Nigeria and from a particular religion. That speaks volume of his precedence.

Isah Pantami

Breaking: FEC Approves 5G deployment in Nigeria

Insecurity: Sack Isah Pantami for his devious past and terrorism tendencies: Group writes Buhari, AU, US, EU others