Leadership (Abuja)
Philip Nyam
17 November 2008
Abuja — The House of Representatives has invited the managing director of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComsat), Engineer Ahmed El-Rufai, to appear before it on Tuesday to explain the state of the nation's satellite launched about two years ago.
The House Committee on Science and Technology headed by Hon. Abiodun Akinlade said at the weekend that the nation needed to know what actually happened to the project that cost tax payers about N40 billion.
Akinlade said: "The report of the missing satellite is disturbing; it is in fact a national disgrace; but we would not comment further until we get briefed by the managing director."
The chairman said he was not sure the satellite had been insured. "If he had insured it, then the loss to the nation would have been mitigated, but if not, then it would be disastrous," Akinlade noted.
He insisted that the committee may need to visit the site of the satellite to ascertain the true situation so that the nation does not lose the huge amount invested in the project.
Nigerians have expressed worry over reports that the satellite launched into the orbit over 18 months ago was missing. It is being speculated that the huge investment made into the facility may have gone down the drain.
It was gathered that the satellite ran into a series of problems when it was discovered that it was using a technology designed for Asia and not for Africa, just as there have been fears that the materials used in the project are questionable.
The China Great Wall Industry, the firm that was commissioned to build the satellite, was said to be having problems fixing the solar panel before the managing director pressured it for the launching of the second satellite.
The satellite built with four gateways located in South Africa, China, Italy and Nigeria has a lifespan of 15 years. It is being tracked in Abuja but has a ground station in Kashgar, China.
The satellite, which was built to digitise the nation's economy and promote technological advancement in the country in particular and Africa as a whole was expected to set in motion the nation's dream of consolidating her profile as the technological hub of Africa.
It is also supposed to enhance internet access to the remotest villages in the country and accelerate the government's economic reforms in the area of rural telephony, e-learning, e-commerce, tele-medicine and tele-education.
Before the launching of the satellite, Nigerians were told that the nation would earn over $1billion from the project. The bulk of the revenue was expected to come from the sale and leasing of transponders from NigComsat.
It was also disclosed that the satellite has 40 of such transponders with each slated to be sold for between $60 million and $70 million.
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I could not agree more with Hon Abiodun Akinlade that the lost of the N40 Billion Satellite is not just a threat to Nigerian national security but a national disgrace. The quick make Launching was for show and tell by the Obasanjo administration therefore succinct measures were not put in place to avoid this colossal to the nation.
What manner of education are Nigerians getting? Just for utilitarian purposes instead of Research and Development? I challenge the Nigerian government to eschew pride and regroup the crop of the Biafran Scientist that performed wonders during the civil war. It belittles the Nigerian Intelligentsias to go to China to do what they did to us. All we need is to assembly Nigerian Scientists languishing in domicile exile with their brain power to come home and accept the challenge. Think of how our soccer players are doing well overseas because they are demand and in the same vain we can tap into other areas and develop them to serve our nation without hiring those who are only interested in the oil money.
We need to put our house together first by providing security, amenities, and degree of freedom for them to do their job without sustained harassment. Also learn to respect them without trying to impose a life style that is not what they are use to after having lived in their adopted countries for their greater part of their lives. We have the potentials but what we lack in a “Country at heart management” style to synergize the skills of these crop of Nigerians.
I hope that the Hon Chair of the committee of Science and Tech. would follow through with the goals of his probe without just making it another kind of Ms. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello probe, a probe to no where.
THIS IS NO JOKE TO THIS BLACK AMERICAN!!! UNCLE TONY WHITESIDE WE WILL FINANCE 70 PERCENT OF THE NEXT SATELLITE. NOT OPEN TO BIDS, WILL BE BUILT BY USA. HOW MANY THINGS CHINA BUILT THAT DID WORK?? DO IT MAKE SENSE TO PAY FOR A SATELLITE , GIT IT CONSTRUCTED, AND HAVE SOMEONE ELSE CONTROL IT?? IF YOU WANT TO LEASE ONE THEN WHY BUILT ONE?? WE WILL HELP YOU BUILT ANOTHER, YOU HAVE TO PLACE 35% OF THE COSTS INTO AN ESCROW ACCOUNT. WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE CONTROL STATION WILL BE WHERE IT BELONG IN NIGERIA!!!!
WWW.WATCOINC.NET watcoinc@msn.com
As at now this matter is going on steadily and I hope it will not crash suddenly or become an endless monkey game.The media, all progressive organizations and individual patriots must come together to put pressure on both House of Representatives and Senate until someone or group of people are held responsible.There is no valid technical reasons whatsoever that can justify either missing or damaged satellite without prior warning or signal. Thank you. Adamson Ade. Ifesanya(Engr.)
You will find that the satellite was not insured.China made all that money for its coffers and some Nigerians benefitted from that rip off.Whats wrong with Nigerians,They have the brains but not the integrity, Perry Fisher,MD