Federal government-owned Galaxy Backbone has lamented the level of destruction on fibre optic cables during road construction and maintainers, saying it is taking steps to address the situation.
The Information Technology and Shared Services Provider of the Federal Government stated this during a field trip to some of the construction sites in Nasarawa state, where some of the cables had been uprooted to allow the construction works to take place.
Prof. Muhammad Abubakar, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, who led the team, said though, the road construction was an important aspect of infrastructure development, the cables being uprooted are also part of national assets which should be protected.
“Road construction is not going to stop any time soon because roads are integral to the development and progress of the nation, but we should also take steps to protect these cables,” he said.
He promised that Galaxy Backbone will work with the construction companies and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that damage to the cables during construction is reduced to the barest minimum, stressing that the cables provide essential internet services to a cross-spectrum of public and private concerns across the country and any damage they suffer will disrupt the service.
He also stated that Nigeria should begin to observe international best practices, whereby national assets such as fibre optic cables are factored into the construction of roads and other infrastructure.
According to Abubakar, the removal of the cables had greatly affected the company’s operations, adding that the line from Lagos through Enugu, Makurdi to Akwanga are down.
“It means our customers on this line are not getting the services they deserve, and we experience several hours of low connectivity,’’ the MD said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Auwalu Salisu, Head of Network Services, who was also on the team, disclosed that about 175 kilometers of cables had already been badly affected on the Nasarawa road corridor as a result of the road construction.
He said, apart from having a Network Management Centre, which is capable of detecting any disruption in services and address the situation, Galaxy Backbone had received complaints from some government departments as well as some private companies about the constant interruption in internet services, which prompted the field trip.
“We have already lost several kilometers of cables due to the road construction but our immediate step is to ensure that they are intact while the construction continues,’’ he said.