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By Leonard Okachie
The Federal Government on Friday launched the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP) in Bende Local Government Area (LGA), Abia, to expand telecommunications connectivity in rural communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, unveiled a telecommunications tower at Umuorie village, Bende.
Tijani described NUCAP as a flagship digital inclusion programme designed to provide reliable broadband services to unserved and underserved rural communities.
He said President Bola Tinubu had directed that every unserved part of Nigeria should be connected to the internet.
The minister added that the initiative would strengthen electoral integrity through improved connectivity supporting bimodal voter accreditation technology.
He said the project would also boost commercial and agricultural activities by enabling rural residents to access digital services and markets.
Tijani identified Bende Federal Constituency as one of the areas prioritised under the initiative.
He said 3,700 similar telecommunications towers would be deployed nationwide to expand connectivity.
According to him, every community in Bende will be connected before Christmas.
The minister appealed to residents to protect the infrastructure and report faults to the relevant telecommunications operators.
He commended the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Benjamin Kalu, for prioritising Abia in the implementation of NUCAP.
In his remarks, Kalu thanked Tinubu for approving the initiative and selecting Bende as a model centre for the connectivity policy.
He said the telecommunications tower would facilitate clearer conversations, banking transactions and online learning.
Kalu described connectivity as essential for linking people to knowledge, services and markets.
He also commended Tijani for his commitment to digital transformation.
The deputy speaker said Bende was the largest local government area that had remained undivided since 1976.
He stressed that reliable telecommunications services were crucial for financial inclusion and rural economic participation.
Kalu disclosed that 16 locations requiring connectivity interventions had been identified across the constituency.
He urged traditional rulers to provide land free of charge for the installation of telecommunications towers.
The deputy speaker also called on the ministry to correct discrepancies in digital maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) records of communities.
He thanked Abia Governor, Alex Otti, for supporting Federal Government projects in the state without partisan obstacles. (NAN)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
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