Reliable Connectivity Key to Financial Inclusion, Education, Healthcare – Kalu (PHOTOS)
…FG commissions first NUCAP tower in Abia to connect unserved communities 
By Gloria Ikibah
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has said reliable telecommunications connectivity is essential to expanding financial inclusion, improving access to education and strengthening healthcare delivery in rural communities.
Kalu spoke on Friday during the commissioning of a telecommunications tower along the Umuahia–Ohafia Road in Bende, Abia State, under the Federal Government’s National Universal Communications Access Programme (NUCAP).
The tower was commissioned by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, as part of efforts to extend mobile and broadband services to communities without adequate commercial network coverage.
NUCAP is a Federal Government initiative aimed at connecting unserved and underserved communities, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to bring every unconnected part of Nigeria online.
Speaking at the event, Kalu said reliable connectivity, often taken for granted in urban areas, could determine whether rural residents accessed economic opportunities and essential services.
According to the Deputy Speaker, financial inclusion increasingly depended on dependable telecommunications networks, as mobile applications, electronic transfers, agent banking and other digital financial services required reliable connections.
He said: “For those who have always enjoyed reliable network service, connectivity may seem ordinary. For a rural trader whose payment repeatedly fails, a student who cannot join an online lesson, or a family struggling to contact a doctor, it is anything but ordinary. It can determine whether an opportunity is secured or lost.
“Where a person lives should not determine the limits of what that person can become.
“When the network fails, a trader may be unable to confirm payment. A farmer may struggle to receive money for produce. A household may be unable to access funds sent by a relative. Reliable connectivity helps bring banking closer to the unbanked”.
The Deputy Speaker noted that reliable connectivity, alongside affordable services, financial literacy and consumer protection, would enable more rural households to participate in the formal economy and support banking agents serving communities far from bank branches.
On education, he said the new infrastructure will enable pupils to access online lessons, learning materials and tutoring, while giving teachers opportunities to improve their skills through wider educational resources.
“Our children should be able to receive online tutoring, access learning materials and participate in lessons beyond their immediate environment. Our teachers should be able to improve their skills and draw on wider teaching resources.
“Our young people should be able to apply for scholarships, acquire digital skills and explore opportunities without travelling elsewhere simply to find a signal. The talent is already here in Bende. We must provide the connections through which that talent can grow,” he said.
Kalu added that improved connectivity will support telemedicine by allowing health workers to consult specialists, share information securely and coordinate referrals, helping patients in rural communities benefit from medical expertise located far away.
He also highlighted the importance of reliable communication for civic engagement, particularly as the election period approaches.
“Citizens need access to accurate information. Communities need channels through which to raise concerns, seek clarification and engage their representatives. Electoral and emergency personnel need reliable communication. These towers must serve the whole community,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker described Bende’s location and proximity to neighbouring states as reasons connectivity investment in the constituency could benefit trade, movement and relationships between communities beyond the area.
He disclosed that 16 additional locations requiring connectivity intervention had been identified in the constituency.
Kalu urged the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and its partners to work with his office and community leaders to validate the locations, assess coverage gaps and establish a clear plan for extending services to the affected communities.
He emphasised that the success of the initiative would depend not only on installing telecommunications infrastructure but also on ensuring reliable service through proper maintenance, adequate power supply and prompt repairs when faults occur.
Expressing appreciation to the President and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Kalu said the project would help bring more Nigerians into the digital economy.
“On behalf of the people of Bende Federal Constituency, I sincerely thank His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his administration’s commitment to expanding digital infrastructure and bringing more Nigerians into the digital economy.
“I commend the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital
Economy, the implementing agencies, network providers, engineers and all
partners responsible for this intervention. Thank you for choosing Bende. Thank you for recognising the needs and potential of our people”, Kalu said.
He also commended Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for supporting the Federal Government’s efforts and other development projects in the state, assuring that he would continue to work with the state government to accelerate development.
Kalu called on traditional rulers and presidents-general of town unions to protect the telecommunications infrastructure as critical national assets.
NUCAP to deliver 3,700 towers nationwide
Earlier, Dr Tijani said the initiative was designed to connect nearly 20 million Nigerians who currently lacked access to telephone and internet services.
“Today, we are launching here in Bende a national project to connect close to 20 million Nigerians who currently have no access to telephone and internet services.
“Let me begin by recognising our very dear host, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu. Your Excellency, thank you for your partnership. Thank you for always bringing the needs of your communities to our attention.
“My people, why are we here? We are here because where we live should never stand between us and opportunity. We should be able to call our families, whether they are elsewhere in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
“A farmer here with produce ready to sell, should not have to struggle to find a signal to call a buyer. A trader here should not lose a sale because a customer cannot find a network to make a transfer. And a family here whose child is ill at night, should not have to struggle to make a call for help. For many Nigerians, these struggles are part of everyday life. We must change that.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given us a clear mandate: work towards bringing every Nigerian online. Through NUCAP, we are delivering 3,700 telecommunications towers across Nigeria. Today, we are commissioning the first of these sites here. More will follow across the country in the coming days, weeks and months.
“My people, when you look at this tower, you may see a mast. I want you to think of a tree. When we plant a tree, it grows. It gives shade. It bears fruit. Even children who were not born when we planted it can grow up to enjoy it. That is how I want us to see this tower. Its fruits will be the farmer who finds a new buyer. The young person who learns a new skill.
“The trader who gets an order from another town. And the family who can finally speak to their loved ones. These are the opportunities this connection can bring. And our work in Bende Local Government does not end
with this first site. In the coming months, we will keep working with the Deputy Speaker, network operators and community leaders to reach the parts of this local government that are still unconnected”, he said.
The minister said the government will continue working with the Deputy Speaker, network operators and community leaders to extend connectivity to other unserved parts of Bende Local Government Area.
Highlights of the event included a live demonstration of e-learning at Bende Grammar School using the newly deployed infrastructure and the distribution of mobile phones to constituents.
