PTDF and the Galaxy Backbone Plc Affairs: - Matters and Issues Arising

By

Dan Azumi Kofarmata

danazumikofarmata@yahoo.com

Friday, 25 May 2007

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.

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.