By PAUL ADAJI, Abuja –
A national stakeholders’ summit opened in Abuja on Monday with participants calling on the National Assembly to accelerate the passage of the Critical National Infrastructure Bill under consideration.
They expressed the belief that when passed into law and assented to, the bill would help ensure the protection of national and business Assets across the country.
The two-day summit on “Protecting the Integrity of Nigeria’s Critical Infrastructure, Monuments and Business Assets,’ is organized by the summit coordinating committee (a public/private partnership) with Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research.
Minister of Special Duties and intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, who was Chairman of the Occasion, in his remarks, noted that Nigeria was currently facin more security threats that have different characteristics from classic military conflict between states.
The Minister, who was represented by the Director, Human Resource Management in the Ministry of Special Duties and intergovernmental Affairs, Mrs Maria Ngaji, said the nature of threats to Nigeria’s security have changed significantly in the last two decades.
According to him, structural challenges, such as the systematic vandalization, degradation and destruction of Nigeria’s critical national infrastructures, monuments and business assets; terrorism, insurgency, cyber-‐crimes, banditry, kidnapping, piracy, oil bunkering, drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime, have created an entirely new security environment.
He added that the gross expansion of the contours that define security boundaries makes it imperative to recognize the eco-systemic dimensions of the threats that stare at us daily and in every form.
He lamented that the rampancy and intensity of the vandalization and destruction of Nigeria’s infrastructures and assets prompted President Muhammadu Buhari, give marching order to the Armed Forces, Intelligence and Security Establishment and all Nigerians to ensure maximum vigilance and shared responsibility in the protection and security of Assets and platforms at all points in their life-cycle.
“The National Stakeholders Summit aims at galvanizing responsibility and synergy for the prioritization of the Multi Agency/ Joint Risk Management Efforts to ensure the security and resilience of Nigeria’s critical national assets, in line with the Risk Management Framework of the National Protection Policy and Strategy 2022 (CNAINPPS 2022), and also, the Critical National Infrastructure Bill under consideration at the National Assembly”
“This projections of the Summit are consistent with the provisions of the National Protection Policy and Strategy 2022 (CNAINPPS 2022); the National Security Strategy Framework; and the Critical National Infrastructure Bill currently under consideration at the National Assembly; the re-engineering of appropriate legislations; and the strategic roadmap for harnessing expert knowledge and country wide technical support for deterrence, codified response strategy and recovery architecture to Nigeria’s critical assets.
“The Summit further aims to deepen advocacy; harness expert/operational knowledge and country wide technical support to enhance deterrence, threat mitigation and desired security outcomes; and sustain confidence building through robust interface with all Stakeholders including Nigeria’s National and State Houses of Assembly; the Armed Forces, Security and Intelligence Agencies; Statutory Regulators in the diverse Sectors of Nigeria’s productive economy; Investors/ Business Owners; Operators of the Infrastructures and Assets; Professional and Civil Society Organizations; the Traditional Institution, Socio Cultural and Pressure Groups, etc.
” By building inter/multi sectoral synergy, the Summit shall engender Stakeholders and citizens with shared responsibilities towards achieving the institutionalization of the road map and priorities of the policy frameworks crafted to provide deterrence, security and resilience of Nigeria’s assets. It is also the expectation of the Conveners that the derivatives from the Summit shall enhance knowledge leadership & management, regenerate confidence in securing Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria’s productive Sectors as canvassed by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, at different international fora; and also boost capital growth and turnkey business startups and development.”
“The security of lives, infrastructures, monuments and assets is the collective responsibility of every citizen, whether private or public. Issues of security, destruction of lives and property know neither religion nor ethnicity. We are calling on the partnership and support of all Stakeholders, both in the Public and Private Sectors, with diverse political, religious and professional orientations to put aside all prejudices to help forge a common front to confront the monster that is threatening the integrity of our corporate existence as a people and as a nation. It is time also to live the slogan that says “if you see something, say something. If you hear something, do something” he said
Earlier in his welcome address, the Head of Secretariat, Coordinating Committee, Dr. Chiakor Alfred said a lot of beautiful policy documents are busy gathering dusts in the various ministries.
He noted that the Presidential march order to military has not yielded results because critical stakeholders are not involved.
“We all have a critical role to play in the protection of national assets, the summit aims to deepen advocacy to ensure that everybody owes it a duty. We have a lot of policy frameworks but we have not seen the maximum impact because there is no advocacy.”
In his presentation, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, lamented non legal frameworks in the sector which holds the key to the nation’s future.
He said such gaps make it impossible for the assets to get the desired attention from security operatives.
Engr. Nnamani said a lot of fibers are being damaged during road construction without compensation due lack of legal frameworks and technology to detect and forestall occurrence.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators Engr. Gbenga Adebayo lamented vandalization of infrastructures and high crate rates in communities due to unemployment.
He called on the President to designate Telecommunications sites as critical national Assets.
According to Engr Adebayo, ” he President may on the recommendation of the National Security Adviser, by Order published in the Federal Gazette, designate telecommunication infrastructure BTS sites certain computer systems, and/or networks, whether physical or virtual, and/or the computer programs, computer data and/or traffic data vital to this country that the incapacity or destruction of or interference with such system and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national or economic security, national public health and safety, or any combination of those matters as constituting Critical National Information Infrastructure.”
The technical session of the summit was chaired by a former military governor of Bauchi state, Major-General Chris Abutu Garba (rtd), with representatives of various agencies and organizations, as well as traditional rulers, participating.
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