Yemisi Izuora
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has charged the Executive VIce Chairman, of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, to redouble efforts towards actualising the digital economy agenda of the Federal Government.
The advise came following the reappointment of Danbatta as the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC)/CEO of the NCC, for another five-year term.
The Minister spoke when the Executive Management of the Commission led by Prof. Danbatta paid him a courtesy visit on Monday.
According to the Minister, the proactive decision to recommend Danbatta’s reappointment to the President for approval was “to ensure stability in the telecommunications industry and consolidate on the gains and successes already recorded in the industry in the last five years of Danbatta’s leadership as the EVC of NCC.”
Pantami, however, emphasised the need for Danbatta-led NCC Management to work more harmoniously with the Ministry and Agencies towards ensuring effective implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) as well as thorough implementation of the new National Broadband Plan (NBP), 2020-2025.
“The success of the Commission is our collective responsibility. While we, as a Ministry, do our best to formulate general industry policy and supervise the activities of the Commission, I will urge the NCC family to be united, remove all lines of demarcation, ensure justice, fairness in all decisions and above all, ensure harmonious relationships. This task lies on the table of the EVC,” he pointed out.
Speaking further, Dr. Pantami reminded the EVC that the focus of President Muhammadu Buhari is currently to boost digital economy, which, he said, has become even more important following the experience of COVID-19 pandemic that has left many individuals and organisations relying more on digital platforms for work and collaboration.
“So, we expect the NCC, as the telecoms Regulator, to take the issue of digital economy very seriously and give it all the attention it deserves within Commission,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the EVC appreciated the Minister’s role in his reappointment and reiterated his commitment to taking the Commission to greater heights.
“I consider my reappointment as the EVC of NCC for another five years, as an honour and a show of the confidence the Hon. Minister and the President have in our efforts at NCC in the last five years. We would like to assure the Hon. Minister of our commitment, as a Commission, to work with the Ministry and other Agencies under the Ministry’s supervision towards advancing the frontiers of digital economy in Nigeria,” the EVC said.
Those who accompanied the EVC during the visit include the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska; the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Barr. Adeleke Adewolu; Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), Shu’aibu Ayuba; and Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye.
Others are the Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Mr. Efosa Idehen; Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Henry Nkemadu: Director Licensing and Authorisation, Mohammed Babajika and Director, Human Capital and Administration, Barr. Usman Malah, among other management staff.