Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has commended the Federal Government for establishing the National Urban and Community Advancement Programme (NUCAP), describing it as a transformative initiative that will bridge the infrastructure and communication gap in rural areas.
The tower, situated along the Umuahia, Ohafia Road, was commissioned by Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani.
Speaking, the Minister said it is the first telecommunications tower one among planned nationwide rollout of 3,700 sites intended to bring mobile and internet service to thousands of rural dwellers currently without access to quality communication, adding that it marks the beginning of a broader rollout, with additional towers expected across the country in the coming months
The initiative, he disclosed, reflects President Bola Tinubu’s pledge to connect every unserved part of Nigeria, a goal that will depend on the government’s ability to deploy infrastructure quickly, secure financing and ensure that towers remain operational after launch.
Tijani said the program would extend voice and broadband coverage to communities where weak commercial incentives have historically left residents outside the digital economy.
Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, welcomed the project but framed it as the start of a longer effort rather than a completed solution.
Kalu said the programme will wholly connect rural communities to national development through improved access roads, electricity, healthcare and other basic amenities, thereby boosting economic activities and improving the living standards of rural dwellers.
He said 16 additional locations in his constituency had been identified for connectivity intervention and urged the ministry and its partners to validate coverage gaps and establish a maintenance plan.
Reliable service, he argued, is not a convenience for rural households but a determinant of economic opportunity.
A failed mobile connection can prevent a trader from confirming a payment, a farmer from receiving funds for produce or a family from reaching medical help, he added.
“Where a person lives should not determine the limits of what that person can become,” Kalu said.
Kalu said the connectivity could support mobile banking, agent networks, online learning and telemedicine in communities far from banks, schools with adequate digital resources and specialist health facilities.
Officials and students staged a live e-learning demonstration at Bende Grammar School using the newly deployed infrastructure, while some residents received free mobile phones.
Kalu also called on traditional rulers and town-union leaders to help protect the towers, which he described as critical national assets.
He thanked President Tinubu, the communications ministry and project partners for selecting Bende for the program’s launch, while also commending Abia State Governor Alex Otti for supporting federal projects in the state.
