A former Managing Director of the Nigerian
Communications Satellite Limited, Mr.
Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai, has asked the new
administration of President Mohammadu
Buhari to discontinue with the plan by the
Federal Government to privatise the company.

In a statement made available to our
correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, Ahmed-
Rufai said selling the satellite infrastructure
to private sector operators would have
negative implications on the country’s
national security.
He added that it was also wrong for the
Federal Government to propose the sale of a
satellite that was under a lien since the
country had not finished paying the company
that constructed the space craft.
Ahmed-Rufai said, “I will like to advise the
new government to revisit the intended
privatisation of NigComSat. It has huge
security implications which will be
counterproductive.

“Besides, the country has not finished paying
the loan element and thus has no right to sell
it. Previous National Security Advisers had
advised against the sale of the asset.
Government may wish to reserve it for
defence and security communications.

“NigComSat C band antenna can be used for
missile guidance system. It is a tracking
antenna fitted with auto synchronous motor
assembly. This is one feature that makes sale
security sensitive.”
NigComSat workers recently petitioned the
former Minister of Communications
Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, over the
proposed sale of the company and alleged
impending sacking of 150 staff of the
organisation.

In the petition, dated May 5, the workers,
under the aegis of the National Union of
Postal and Telecommunications Employees,
said the manner the proposed sale of the
satellite company was being rushed at the
terminal end of the last administration left
much to be desired.
The workers contended that the viability of
NigComSat would not have been an issue if
the Federal Government had directed
government establishments to patronise
NigComSat rather than continue to patronise
foreign vendors of satellite bandwidth
services.

NigComSat-1R was launched into the orbit
on December 19, 2011, as a replacement for
Nigeria’s first communication satellite, which
developed a power problem in orbit on
November 8, 2008, and was consequently de-
orbited.

www.punchng.com/news/stop-privatisation-of-nigcomsat-ex-md-tells-buhari/

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