- President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday demanded a comprehensive report on the sale of the Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL).
- The president, who gave this directive when the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications Technology, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, and some top officials of the ministry briefed him in Aso Rock, said he was concerned by the continuing protests of former NITEL employees and other Nigerians over the manner in which the company’s assets were sold.
- Buhari also gave approval to the plan by the ministry to use post offices across the country for information technology (IT) and financial transactions, especially in the rural communities.
He expressed happiness that “we are recovering the post offices from rats and rodents.” - Senior Special Assistant to the president on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, noted in a statement that Buhari also directed the ministry to work harder to fully develop the revenue generation potential of Nigeria’s information technology sector.
- Speaking after the briefing, the President also directed the ministry to bring forward for his consideration and approval all pending proposals for the development of the country’s IT sector which require the approval of the Federal Executive Council.
“Where you don’t need Exco approval and you are not in breach of the law and will not lose money, you can go ahead. Now that oil costs less and we are contending with its theft, we have to move to areas where we can realize revenue quickly,” Shehu quoted the president as telling the delegation.
How Was NITEL Sold? Buhari Demands A Detailed Report
