- Mohammed Arzika
-
Mohammed Arzika Federal Minister of Communications In office
June 1999 – 12 June 2001Succeeded by Haliru Mohammed Bello Personal details Born Sokoto State, Nigeria Mohammed Arzika was appointed Nigerian Minister of Communications from June 1999 to June 2001 in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Background
Arzika was the Chairman of the People's Solidarity Party (PSP), one of the political parties that applied for registration when General Ibrahim Babangida started preparing for a transition to democracy in 1991, later merging into the Social Democratic Party (SDP).[1] After the failure of the Nigerian Third Republic with the assumption of power by General Sani Abacha, he became a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) formed in May 1994.[2]
Minister of Communications
In June 1999 Arzika was appointed Minister of Communications in Obasanjo's first cabinet.[3] He published a formal telecommunications policy in May 2000.[4] Prior to the official policy release, Arzika said the changes would help Nigeria add two million fixed and 1.2 million mobile lines over the next two years. At the time, Nigeria had about 500,000 connected lines for a population of over 108 million.[5] The policy essentially remained in force for the next ten years.[6]
The telecommunications environment at the time was dominated by the state-owned Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL). Although Private Telecoms Operators (PTO) were allowed to provide service, typically using wireless links, the PTOs complained that NITEL denied them access to the network, or failed to provide sufficient access lines, and charged excessively for connections. Speaking in June 2000, the NITEL Managing Director Emmanuel Ojeba said that NITEL would address these problems, and planned to expand network capacity by about one million lines per year.[7]
Arzika promised to provide telephone service in all the local government areas.[8] At the opening session of the second Africa Internet Summit in September 2000, Arzika said the Nigerian government had identified access to telecommunications as a critical factor in the development of all aspects of the nation's economy.[9] Arzika pushed to liberalize the telecommunications sector. In early 2001 the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) auctioned licenses for GSM mobile carriers. NITEL obtained a licence, and well as Econet and MTN.[10] Arzika also made a strong case for expanding NITEL to transform it into a "viable, reliable and technologically sound company to enable it to meet the demands of government's deregulation and privatisation policies".[11] In December 2000, Arzika said that plans to privatize NITEL had received a favorable reaction both within and outside the country.[12]
In January 2001 President Obasanjo approved a merger of NITEL and the state-owned mobile carrier M-Tel, and confirmed the appointment of Emmanuel Ojeba as the Chief executive. Until then Ojeba had been in an acting capacity for almost a year.[13] In March 2001, Arzika visited the People's Republic of China accompanied by Ojeba and met with his counterpart Mr Wu Jichuan, where they discussed approaches both countries were taking to ensure rapid telecoms growth.[14] In April 2001 Arzika ordered the removal of Ojeba from his position as managing director of NITEL ahead of his scheduled retirement in June 2001 as part of the "process of reinvigorating the much-criticised national carrier".[15][16]
Speaking in May 2001 in response to allegations that NITEL had executed inflated contracts, a NITEL spokesman said Arzika "is the only minister ... that has not bothered to influence any decision in the company, so how then could anyone allege that he was in the know how?"[17] In June 2001 Arzika resigned from the cabinet. He was replaced by Mohammed Bello.[18]
References
- ^ "PDP's Men of Power". ThisDay. 2001-11-10. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/11/10/20011110cov02.html. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
- ^ Eghosa E. Osaghae (1998). Crippled giant: Nigeria since independence. Indiana University Press. pp. 217, 300. ISBN 0253211972.
- ^ "OBASANJO HIRES & FIRES". NDM DEMOCRACY WATCH 1999/03. NIGERIAN DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT (NDM). July 1, 1999. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlukoArchives/message/25. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ "National Policy on Telecommunications". Ministry of Communications. May2000. http://ww.ncc.gov.ng/NationalTelecomsPolicy/National%20Policy%20on%20Telecommunications.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-22.[dead link]
- ^ "NIGERIA: IRIN News Briefs, 27 October". IRIN. 27 October 1999. http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Newsletters/irinw_102799b.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ Nnamdi Ojiego (16 March 2010). "Review NCC, NBC Acts to Conform with Convergence, Bolarinwa Charges Federal Govt". Vanguard. http://allafrica.com/stories/201003161175.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ Paul Polishuk, ed. Africa Telecom Monthly Newsletter. Information Gatekeepers. p. 5. http://books.google.ca/books?id=Yxm5DGKKEbwC&pg=PA5&lpg=PA5&dq=%22Emmanuel+Ojeba%22&source=bl&ots=cj1pjfKBZn&sig=9b8A_FQdZckh83XdcURbf1qznrA&hl=en&ei=d2nhS6mDOJjqNeqQ3LoD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22Emmanuel%20Ojeba%22&f=false. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ Francis Ugwoke (2001-01-11). "2001: Nigeria's Year of Hope for Telecoms Development". ThisDay. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/01/11/20010111comm01.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ "Nigeria Cites Importance of Telecommunications to Economic Growth.(Brief Article)". Africa Telecom. September 1, 2000. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-67502544/nigeria-cites-importance-telecommunications.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ Godwin Haruna (2002-09-18). "Breaking Barriers With Telcommunication". ThisDay. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2002/09/18/20020918fea01.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ Francis Ugwoke (2001-01-17). "Can NITEL Interconnect the Digital Mobile Operators?". ThisDay. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/01/17/20010117beh02.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ Yinka Olusanya (December 2000). New Telecoms Policy Signals Nitel Privatization. Information Gatekeepers Inc. ISSN 1531-4855.
- ^ "Ojeba: Proving the Sceptics Wrong". ThisDay. 2001-02-25. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/01/25/20010125comm05.html. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ Samuel Famakinwa (2001-03-29). "Telecoms Policy Designed to Benefit Nigerians, Says Arzika". ThisDay. http://1and1.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/03/29/20010329comm01.html. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ Samuel Famakinwa and Tayo Ajakaye (2001-04-06). "FG Removes NITEL MD". ThisDay. http://1and1.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/04/06/20010406news05.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ Reuben Muoka & Yinka Olusanya (6 April 2001). "Government Retires Nitel MD". Vanguard. http://allafrica.com/stories/200104060015.html. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ Samuel Famakinwa. "NITEL Explains Role in Alleged Contracts Inflation, Exonerates Arzika". ThisDay. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/05/07/20010507news12.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- ^ "Ministers and Chief Economic Adviser to Obasanjo 'Resign'". AllAfrica. 13 June 2001. http://allafrica.com/stories/200106140001.html. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
Vice President Atiku Abubakar (1999–2007)Agriculture Sani Daura (June 1999–2000) • Hassan Adamu (2000–January 2001) • Adamu Bello (February 2001–2007)Aviation Olusegun Agagu (May 1999–February 2001) • Kema Chikwe (February 2001–May 2003)Commerce Mustapha Bello (June 1999–2002) • Precious Ngelale (–May 2003)Communications Mohammed Arzika (June 1999–June 2001) • Haliru Mohammed Bello • (June 2001–May 2003)Co-operation and Integration in Africa Jerry Gana (May 1999–)Defence Theophilus Danjuma (June 1999–2003)Education Tunde Adeniran (June 1999–February 2001) • Babalola Borishade (February 2001–)Environment (Later + Housing) Hassan Adamu (June 1999–2000) • Sani Daura (2000–January 2001) • Mohammed Kabir Said (February 2001–)FCT Administration Ibrahim Bunu (June 1999–February 2001) • Mohammed Abba Gana (February 2001–)Finance Adamu Ciroma (June 1999–2003)Foreign Affairs Sule Lamido (June 1999–2003)Health Tim Menakaya (June 1999–February 2001) • ABC Nwosu (February 2001–2003)Industries Iyorchia Ayu (Jun 1999–2000) • Stephen Akiga (2000–January 2001) • Kolawole Babalola Jamodu (February 2001–May 2003)Information and National Orientation Dapo Sarumi (June 1999–January 2001) • Jerry Gana (February 2001–)Internal Affairs Sunday Afolabi (June 1999 -) • Mohammed Shata (–May 2003)Justice (Attorney General) Kanu Agabi (Jun 1999–Jan 2000) • Bola Ige (Jan 2000–2002) • Kanu Agabi (2002–2003)Labour, Employment and Productivity Alabo Graham-Douglas (June 1999–July 2000) • Musa GwadabeMines and Steel Development (Solid Minerals) Musa Gwadabe (June 1999–) • Kanu AgabiPolice Affairs David Jemibewon (June 1999–2000) • Stephen Akiga (February 2001–)Power and Steel Bola Ige (June 1999–Jan 2000) • Segun AgaguScience and Technology Ebitimi Banijo (June 1999–) • Turner IsounSports and Social Development Damishi Sango (June 1999–February 2001) • Ishaya Mark Aku (February 2001–May 2002) • Stephen Akiga (May 2002–May 2003)Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Ojo Maduekwe (June 1999–July 2000) • Alabo Graham-Douglas (July 2000–January 2001) • Boma Jack (February 2001–)Transport Kema Chikwe (June 1999–February 2001) • Ojo Maduekwe (February 2001–2003)Water Resources Mohammed Kaliel (June 1999–June 2001) • Muktar Shagari (June 2001–May 2003)Women and Youth Development Aishat IsmailWorks and Housing Tony Anenih (June 1999–2003)Categories:- Living people
- Federal ministers of Nigeria
- Social Democratic Party (Nigeria) politicians
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