One of the revelations from the beans-spilling by estranged Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the illegalities perpetrated at the PTDF by President Obasanjo was the diversions of millions of money to fund dubious projects, programs and other sundry activities that are outside the statutory mandate of the PTDF. Furthermore, he alleged that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) was not even aware of the existence of these extra-budgetary spending sprees. Worst still, he revealed that these extra-budgetary spending sprees were never appropriated by the National Assembly. Thus, since these extra-budgetary spending sprees were not done in line with laid down procedures for appropriation of public funds and governmental due process procedures, he alleged that they constitute illegal undertakings by President Obasanjo. An example of one of these illegal extra-budgetary spending sprees was the funding of the so-called “Galaxy Backbone Plc” project.

The Galaxy Backbone Plc project we were told recently by the Presidency (only after the concealed secret project was publicly exposed by Vice President Atiku Abubakar), is a federal government-owned public funded incorporated company that is established to provide a single platform for internet connectivity in all Government Ministries, departments and agencies. However, the Nigerian public is yet to be provided with the full information about this company as the whole project was shrouded in secrecy.

So far, the only financial disclosure made about this company came to the public limelight as a result of Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s public revelations and the investigations conducted by the Senate. The Senate Ad-hoc Committees on the PTDF affairs discovered that the sums of 250 million naira were expended on mere incorporation of the company. But the Senate Ad-hoc Committees investigating the PTDF scandal discovered that of these sums, only 20 million naira was paid to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as incorporation fees! The contract for the incorporation of the company was awarded to the law firm of President Obasanjo’s friend and personal lawyer without public tendering and adherence to other mandatory due process procedures.

For the benefit of those who may not know what an internet backbone is all about, I would provide a brief introduction here. According to Wikipedia – the free online encyclopaedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Internet_backbone), the Internet backbone refers to the main 'trunk' connections of the Internet. It is made up of a large collection of interconnected commercial, government, academic and other high-capacity data routes and core routers that carry data across the countries, continents and oceans of the world. It further states that the Internet backbone consists of many different networks and that the term is usualy used to describe large networks that interconnect with each other and may have individual Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as clients. For example, a local ISP may provide service for a single town, and connect to a regional provider which has several local ISPs as clients. This regional provider connects to one of the backbone networks, which provides nationwide or worldwide connections.

These backbone providers usually provide connection facilities in many cities for their clients, and they themselves connect with other backbone providers at Internet Exchange Point (IXP)s such as MAE-East in the eastern United States or FreeIX in France. The largest of these IXP's in terms of both throughput and connected peers is the Amsterdam Internet Exchange.

Backbone networks are usually commercial, educational, or government owned, such as military networks. Some large companies that provide backbone connectivity include UUnet (now a division of Verizon), British Telecom, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, France Télécom, Reliance Communications, VSNL, BSNL, Teleglobe (now a division of VSNL International), Flag Telecom (now a division of Reliance Communications), Qwest, Level 3 Communications, and SAVVIS.

The above non-technical introduction is provided here largely to underscore the importance and complexity of what an internet backbone entails. Having done that, I would also highlight some of the main concerns of those who understand the importance and technical complexity of such an undertaking. Some of these bonds of contention border on the issue of transparency and accountability.These are for example, why did President Obasanjo concealed such a very significant project from the public; particularly the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council (FEC)? Least we forget, the project was retroactively approved by the FEC only when the estranged Vice President Atiku Abubakar publicy exposed President Obasanjo’s involvement in the sleaze going on at the PTDF!

Other pertinent concerns and questions regarding the establishment of such an important information, communications technology (ICT) infrastructure in Nigeria are: Why was the project not contained in any of the budgets and/ or supplementaly appropriations submitted by President Obasanjo to the National Assembly? Why was PTDF money used to fund the establsihment and development of the backbone instead of funds from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and/or the federal ministry of science and technology. Least we forget, NITDA was established to among others, facilitate, nurture and provide National ICT infrastructures development, growth (Research and Development in hardware, software and human resources capacity development), leadership, and to coordinate national ICT initiatives?

Furthermore, is Galaxy Backbone Plc a parastatal of PTDF or NITDA and/or is Galaxy Backbone Plc not a duplication of the major functions and activites of NITDA? Please visit and check this website to see the similarities between the two in terms of mandate and goals: http://www.nitda.gov.ng/. Also, is Galaxy BackbonePlc not a duplication of the major functions of the recently established and commissioned Nigerian Internet Exchange (NIX) – Please visit and check this website to see the similarites between the two in terms mandate and goals: http://www.nixp.net/ and compare with the introduction given above.

When was the institutional set-up of the company and project established? Where is the corporate headquarters of the company physically located in Nigeria? When and at what cost was the company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria (CAC)? What is the registration number of this company as issued by CAC? Who are the members of the Board of directors of the company and when were they appointed and inugurated? Who are core the scienticific, technical and management personnel in charge of running and managing the company and the backbone? When and how were these personnel employed? What are the scientific, technical and managerial competencies of these personnel employed to run and manage the company and the backbone?

Where are physical locations (i.e., names of towns and cities) of the technical gadgets required and acquired for the physical deployment of the backbone in Nigeria? When were the contracts for the design, construction, supply and deployment and commissioning of the backbone awarded? Who were the contractors that designed and deployed the physical infrastructures (including hardwares and softwares) of the backbone? What are the technical specifiacations and carrying capacity of the equipment acquired for the setting up of the backbone? What were the total costs incurred for the designed, construction, deployment and commissioning of the entire backbone, ancillary facilities and setting up the company etc?

Last but not the least, what is the relationship between Galaxy Backbone Plc and the existing Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications Limited (GITT Ltd) that was established sometime in 2000 by Governor Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State? Please visit and check this website to see the similarities between the two in terms of mission, and objectives: http://www.galaxyitt.com - Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications Limited, Abuja Head office, 22 Adetokumbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja – Nigeria, Tel, 09-5233897, 5235044, email: info@galaxyitt.com

These pertinent concerns and questions raised above beggets urgent and satisfactory answers from President Obasanjo, the National Assembly and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before May 29, 2007.

 Dan Azumi Kofarmata, Kano

Robot  # 1 | 25.05.2007 07:29

One of the revelations fromAtiku was the diversions of millions of money to fund dubious pr...Read the full article.