Illegal Communication Gateway: Minister Harps On Proper Management

The Minister of
Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has called for proper management and prohibition of illegal communication gateway so as to generate revenue for the Federal Government.
The Tide source reports that gateway is Nigeria’s access to the world; it can be connected either through satellite, marine or international fibre cables.
Shittu made the call while inaugurating the Inter-Ministerial Committee on International Gateway Management Service in Abuja on Monday.
He said exclusivity of the gateway for incoming and outgoing international traffic will lead to restoration of lost revenues through proper management and prohibition of illegal gateways from operating.
He added that this would ensure more control over security issues.
“There is need to generate revenue for the federal government from other sectors of the economy in the wake of the sudden drop in revenue derivable from oil resources.
“This has impacted negatively on the economy and resulted partly in the current recession Nigeria is going through.
“Apart from the importance of tracking incoming and outgoing voice and data traffic to and from Nigeria, there is the need to ensure government derives appropriate revenue from international voice and data traffic”, the Minister said.
He expressed the hope that the committee would discharge its responsibilities as it gets to work immediately.
Shittu said “the committee is expected to work out modalities and framework, including agreement between the federal government and the Gateway Service Manager for actualizing deployment of Gateway Communications tracking technology in Nigeria.’’
He said “the report of the committee is expected within a month from the date of its inaugural meeting.’’
Chairman of the committee is Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Other members are representatives of Ministries of Communications, Finance, Justice, Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services, National Information Technology Development Agency and Galaxy Backbone Limited.