By Seun Adams
Following the recent achievement recorded in the drastic reduction of charges of Right of Ways (RoWs) across the country,
facilitated by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ibrahim Pantami and the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the duo will tomorrow (Thursday) speak at a national technical dialogue on Right of Way (RoW) and site build permitting.
The regulatory forum which will be through virtual is being organised by the United Kingdom (UK), Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Programme UKPFDAP) and Greenfields Law Chambers, in collaboration with the ministry and NCC, SHARPEDGENews Online learnt.
According to the facilitators, the technical conference is part of the UK government’s technical assistance package in advancing policy and regulatory reforms on RoW.
This is with the aim of promoting inclusive and sustainable digital access in the country.
Also, the findings and recommendations from a technical study on effective RoW administration and issuance of planning permits for masts and
towers for instituting reforms by state governments and other agencies of government which was commissioned under the UK government prosperity fund’s digital access programme and undertaken by Greenfields law will be presented to stakeholders, the facilitators hinted.
Participants billed for the forum include state governors and CEOs of telecommunications companies who are also share ideas and make meaning inputs into dialogue.
According to the Managing Counsel of Greenfields Law, who is a leading telecom policy, law and regulation practitioner, Mr. Osondu Nwokoro, informed that the study consulted widely, obtained and processed information from virtually all segments of the telecommunications industry including service providers, policy advocacy groups, consumer associations, relevant agencies and officials of state governments across the six geo-political zones.
While underscoring the imperative of legal and regulatory framework in deepening broadband penetration, RoW and site build processes which will be recommended at the conference for adoption at all levels of government, to address the lingering challenges of RoWs across the country.
According to him, the an effective site build permitting in the country will facilitate digital access and consequently the attainment of the targets of the national digital economy policy and strategy 2019 as well as the national broadband plan 2020-2025.