The Chief Executive Officer of Cedarview Communications Limited, Wale Owoeye, has raised the alarm on the frequency of destruction of telecom cables, adding that Airtel alone experiences cable cuts every six minutes.
The CEO disclosed this at the 7th Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) Summit on CNII implementation held in Lagos.
Owoeye said the frequency of cuts has raised the cost of maintenance of telecom infrastructure.
He said, “Cable theft is a serious issue. Airtel representatives told me they experience a cable cut every six minutes. The assumption that all black cables contain valuable copper leads to reckless vandalism.
“We need to engage local communities in their native languages, educating them on the consequences of vandalism. Strict legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment, should be enforced to deter offenders.
“Prevention is always more effective and cost-efficient than restoration.”
The CEO proposed the creation of a dedicated fund to support advocacy and awareness campaigns across Nigeria.
As a proactive step, Owoeye pledged to contribute N500,000 quarterly as a seed fund and encouraged other industry players to follow suit.
“This is like planting a seed. With collective effort, we can grow it into a sustainable solution for protecting Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure,” the CEO added.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, in his remark highlighted the widespread issue of stolen manhole covers and poles, attributing the problem to poor maintenance practices.
“When properly installed, these components are difficult to remove. However, due to negligence, they are often left unsecured, making them easy targets for theft.
“A diesel supplier was blocked from entering an estate because a previous contractor had damaged their property and failed to make repairs. This lack of accountability breeds distrust and delays crucial projects.
The ALTON boss pointed out that community resistance to infrastructure projects has significantly hindered progress.
“Government agencies often damage unregistered infrastructure simply because they were not documented in official records. Proper approvals and collaboration with authorities will ensure accountability and protection of critical infrastructure,” said ALTON boss.
President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere, called for better coordination among stakeholders.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges go beyond technical issues, extending into environmental and moral concerns.
The ATCON boss said standardisation is the key to long-term sustainability.
ATCON said, “We are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem—workers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel. These issues require both technical and ethical solutions.
“If infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders—government, private sector, and the public—can align with.
“We must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement.”
ALTON, ATCON Demand Solution To Vandalisation Of Telco Infrastructure is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
