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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
NIGCOMSAT Limited says it has commended the VSAT installation project, aiming to provide satellite coverage for 579 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by NIGCOMSAT Spokesperson, Mr Stephen Kwande on Thursday.
Kwande said the initiative will utilize the ku-band network asset of NigComSat-1r for the Federal Government, Project 774 Local Government Areas of the country.
Very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) is a two-way satellite ground station with a dish antenna that is smaller than 3.8 meters.
The Spokesperson noted that Phase one of the project has been rolled out and is expected to cover 40 local government area council offices across eight states in Nigeria including Borno, Cross River, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
He quoted the Managing Director, Mrs Nkechi Jane Egerton-Idehen, saying that the portable inverter system with solar panel intended to provide uninterrupted power supply using green energy solution has been delivered and members of the installation team already deployed, had kicked-off the project installation on March 5, 2024 in Kabba-Bunu of Kogi state.
“Mrs Egerton-Idehen, stated that Kogi state, the first state to benefit from the project covering five local government areas of the state is aligning with the ministry’s strategic blueprint and a significant step in achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinibu’s mandate to deliver efficient public service to Nigerians at the local government level.
“The NIGCOMSAT Managing Director, also stated that in addition to the already five local government areas allocated to Kogi state in the first instance, the Hon. Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr. Bosun Tijani has graciously added another five local government areas increasing the total number from forty to forty-five to cover the phase one of the project in the country.
‘‘Even though only five LGAs were initially marked down for coverage in the first phase of the project execution in Kogi state, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has directed the addition of five other local government secretariats. This brings the total number of LGAs to be covered in the first phase from forty to forty-five’.
“The first five local government areas to cover are Kabba/Bunu, Lokoja, Okehi, Bassa and Okene local government areas.While the additional five local governments approved by the Hon. Ministers are Adavi, Ajaokuta, Kogi, Mopamuro and Dekina,” the statement read.
