Nigeria law on communication can’t generate adequate revenue – Buhari …to be reviewed by NASS

By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Chairman Senate Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Cybercrime, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari has declared that the National Assembly would review the existing law on communication in Nigeria as it cannot generate adequate revenue for the economic development of the country.
Speaking with journalists in Ogbomoso, Senator Buhari maintained that the existing law on communication in Nigeria  “is not strong enough to  generate adequate  revenue” for the much needed economic development in Nigeria.
According to Senator Buhari, for now, the present communication sector in Nigeria is generating about five percent of the total income to the nation’s revenue which was very poor.
“Our law is not forceful and impactful enough, take for instance MTN, ZAIN, ETISALAT, GLO and all the service providers, they are not using our satellite on the excuses that we only have one but they make profit in Nigeria and  use it to develop the economy of other countries. That is capital flight, we will stop it ,“he said.
The lawmaker representing Oyo North Senatorial districts pointed out that the “National Assembly is looking at the issue with the hope of reviewing the existing law and make necessary recommendation and amendment to the effect for economic prosperity of the nation”.
He disclosed that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has asked the committee to sit with the telecommunication sector and call the stakeholders, to get their own input for us to bring a bill into the National Assembly that will compel the service provider to patronize us instead of sending our country money to boost another country’s economy.
Senator Buhari noted that effort are on going towards making a law that ICT should become a compulsory subject in secondary school, saying “we have potentials  in Nigeria, if we are able to implement it at the  secondary schools level there will be a contribution they are going to make into the economy”.
The lawmaker however pleaded with Nigerians to be patience with the President Buhari led administration adding that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.