Governor Babagana Umara Zulum yesteday, at Borno Liason Office in Abuja hosted officials of Mobile Telephone Network, MTN, and discussed modalities for restoration of telecommunication networks in some local government areas and other 57 sites hitherto destroyed by insurgents at various locations across the state.
Boko Haram had since 2013 serially destroyed telecommunication masts/ equipment in a number of Council areas, as part of their techniques to prevent communities from making rescue calls and from tipping off security agencies on the movements of the insurgents before, during and after attacks.
This was contained in a press statement signed and issued to our Correspondent by the Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy to the Governor, Malam Isa Gusau
Gusau said, Zulum had sent letters to MTN, requesting collaborative efforts on the repairs of vandalized installations to enable access to mobile communication across the state.
He said, “An MTN group of four officials, led by Abdulhamid Hassan, General Manager for Northern operations, visited His Excellency Governor Zulum at Borno’s liaison office in Abuja. Secretary to Borno Government, Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa and the Special Adviser and Coordinator for Sustainable Development, Partnerships and Humanitarian Support, Dr. Mairo Mandara attended the meeting.
“The visiting group also set up a video conference between the Governor, MTN’s Chief Technical Officer, Mohammed Rufai, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Ikenna Ikenne and the Chief Corporate Services Officer, Tobechukwu Okigbo, who spoke from Lagos.
“The MTN informed Zulum that it has 57 sites requiring works across Borno State and would work with the State Government to identify areas of priority attention from the company’s operational and budgeted plans for the remaining part of 2020 and the year, 2021”. Gusau stated.
To this end, Zulum nominated Borno’s Commissioner for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation as well as another official, to liaise with MTN’s team towards collaborative efforts.
The Governor also raised other issues with the MTN, for which the Chief Corporate Services Officer, Okigbo, promised looking getting back to Borno State through the MTN foundation, an arm that executes the company corporate social responsibility interventions. End