Reps want committee to review criteria on proposed NCC spectrum auction

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Communications to review the pre-qualification criteria on the proposed auction of 2.3 GHz BroadBand Spectrum by the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC).

The House said in Abuja on Tuesday that the 2.3 GHz broadband spectrum was a national communication asset.

The committee is to review the pre-qualification criteria for companies that wish to participate in the proposed auction by the NCC.

The Representatives said that the criteria was to include a requirement that bidding companies be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, subject to regulatory authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The committee is expected to report back to the House within two weeks.

The resolution followed a motion by Rep. Chris Azubogu (APGA-Anambra), which was unanimously adopted without debate when put to vote by the Speaker, Alhjai Aminu Tambuwal.

The motion is entitled: “Proposed Auction of 2.3 GHz Broadband Spectrum by the Nigerian Communications Commission.”

Azubogu, while moving the motion, said that the essence of the motion was for the interest and common good of the Nigeria people.

He said the proposed auction of the broadband spectrum and related licences represented the most important transfer of telecommunications licences by the NCC since the auction of Digital Mobile License (DML) in January 2001.

The lawmaker expressed concern that Nigerian’s prime national telecommunications assets were being transferred to companies without proper authentication of their financial health status.

He said that further auctions of critical communications licences to un-quoted companies were not in the best interest of Nigeria.

Azubogu said in the absence of full disclosure requirements, it would be impossible to determine if the bidding firms for critical assets had true financial capacity to sustain investment in acquired assets.

Similarly, the House also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to victims of Tungar Rakumi and Mallamwa communities of Maru Local Government in Zamfara.

The directive followed a motion brought by Rep. Sani Ibrahim (APC-Zamfara) on the recent attacks and killing of 24 persons in Tungar Rakumi and Mallamawa communities.

It also urged the Inspector General of Police and other securities agencies to “fish” out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.(NAN)