By Samuel Solomon
Community representatives from Kano, Bauchi, and Jigawa states have called for greater involvement of local communities in the protection of telecommunications infrastructure to address recurring cases of vandalism and poor network services.
The call was made at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Centre for Information Technology and Development on Wednesday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
Daily Fact reports that participants at the meeting were drawn from Rano in Kano State; Itas and Jama’are in Bauchi State; and Madobi, Kuda, and Kiyawa communities in Jigawa State.
Speaking at the meeting, the Executive Director of CITAD, Y.Z. Ya’u, said the protection of telecommunications infrastructure should be linked to the protection and development of host communities.
According to him, telecommunication companies should engage communities before deploying infrastructure to ensure that residents understand the purpose and benefits of such facilities.
“Communities need to understand why these facilities are being deployed and the benefits they stand to gain. This kind of engagement is still limited in many parts of the country,” he said.
Ya’u pointed out that online complaint mechanisms could help address threats to telecommunications facilities and reduce incidents of vandalism, which often affect network connectivity.
He said findings from research showed that telecommunications infrastructure faced challenges such as fibre cuts, partly because some communities were not adequately sensitised or involved in deployment processes.
“Service providers alone cannot provide complete protection for these facilities. Community participation is necessary if we are to reduce the number of underserved and unserved areas,” he stressed.
During discussions on community mobilisation for infrastructure protection, participants recommended awareness campaigns targeting youths, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders.
To address the challenges, participants recommended improved welfare and remuneration for personnel responsible for safeguarding telecommunications infrastructure across the country.
Our correspondent reports that the meeting also recommended the involvement of communities in planning and consultation processes before infrastructure deployment, as well as training on the safe handling of telecommunications facilities and related materials.
