The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, says the establishment of a well articulated National Addressing System (NAS) is strategic for national planning and development.

National Addressing System (NAS) is the Key to e-Commerce, e-Finance, e-Navigation and modern postal services and essential tool for national infrastructure as well as the socio-economic development of a country.

 Shittu said in Abuja on Thursday while inaugurating the NAS Committee that the establishment of a well-articulated NAS, long overdue, was predicated on the importance and role it played in National development.

 The role of NAS, he said, was beyond the primary aim of mail delivery.

“Therefore, a standardised addressing infrastructure and database is indispensable in locating residents of this country.  

“A homogenous and unambiguous addressing resource is an essential tool for effective and efficient service delivery,’’ he said.

The minister, however, said that stakeholders, especially states and local government areas were responsible for the implementation of their constitutional roles.

He said they were to be guided on the globally accepted ways of performing those roles to facilitate development of addressing infrastructure that supported Geographical Positioning System (GPS) and applications.

 Shittu recalled that Vice-President Yemi Osinbanjo inaugurated the NAS Council on Sept. 21, 2017.

 According to him, the inauguration came  while the Nigerian National Addressing Standard and Guide line document was endorsed for implementation by the NAS Council on Oct. 19, 2017.

The minister urged the committee members to understand their assigned roles and contribute their quota toward the implementation of a dependable system for Nigeria.

He said this would provide the required ease of access to various locations and people, adding that their contributions would no doubt contribute immensely to national growth and development.

“Stakeholders and all Nigerians are therefore invited to support NAS committee members in the discharge of their duties and adopt standards and guidelines for the implementation of the system.’’

Mr Bisi Adegbuyi, Post-Master-General of the Federation, said the importance of NAS could not be overemphasised, describing it as the bedrock and access to government services.

Adegbuyi said the primary responsibility of any government was to provide services to its people“and more meaningful, if you don’t have address, you won’t have access to government services.

 Mrs Nkechi Ejele, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, said the committee, made up of various stakeholders, had the Minister of Communications as Chairman.

According to her, the committee is charged with the responsibility of coordinating all activities of NAS programme.

Ejele said NAS policy recognised the critical role of stakeholders in developing a reliable addressing infrastructure and identified them in the governance structure of the national addressing system with NAS council as the apex. (NAN)