The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria SCGN is seeking to partner with Nigerian Communications Commission NCC on specialised and industry-specific training for Executives and the Board of Directors in the telecom industry.
The NGO made this known, when it paid a courtesy visit to NCC, in Abuja, Nigeria
The President of SCGN, Mohammad Ahmad, represented by Tijjani Borodo, a Director and a fellow of the society, said that the NGO would also like to partner in the area of capacity-building initiatives for the sector.
“The Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria would like to partner with the Commission on capacity-building initiatives for the sector and the organisations regulated by the Commission.
“The Society hereby expresses her interest to partner with the Commission on Specialised and industry-specific training for Executives, Board of Directors, and the Executive Management of organisations in the Telecommunications industry around Board Leadership, Governance and sustainability.
“The Society would like to express her interest in collaborating with the Commission to sensitise and create awareness of the guideline within the sector and organisations regulated by the Commission.
We can provide a framework for compliance and reporting the anticipated corporate governance guideline.”
Ahmad said that the partnership was to promote good corporate governance and foster best practices in the communications sector and the country.
“We strongly believe that the partnership will strengthen the commission’s position as a promoter of good corporate governance and setting an example to other regulators as a champion of excellence and progress,” he said.
In his response, NCC’s Executive Vice-Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, represented by the Executive Commissioner Stakeholders Management Mr Adeleke Adewolu said the visit was one of great importance for several reasons.
Danbatta said that the SCGN and the Commission had had a fruitful professional relationship, adding that the NGO is instrumental in the development of the telecommunications Industry Code of Corporate Governance issued by the NCC in 2014.
He said that it was a pioneer Code, which was carefully designed to enhance governance in the Nigerian communications industry and which led to the development of similar instruments by other sectors.
He said NCC commenced the development of Guidelines for the communications sector, adding that members of the SCGN have been part of that process.
He said the NCC had recognised that critical elements of its statutory mandate could only be realised when sector players adhere to the best corporate governance and ethical standards.
“This is why we pioneered the development of sectoral Corporate Governance Codes and this is why we insist on the highest possible governance and ethical standards for our licensees.
“This is also why we consider it of utmost importance to strengthen our relationship with stakeholders like the SCGN.”
He said one of the most important strategies that the NCC had adopted was to harness stakeholder’s views in the development of its regulatory interventions.
Danbatta also said that SCGN, in its role as a frontline advocacy group for sound governance and ethical business conduct, had been a worthy partner of the Commission.
He said that the Commission looked forward to many more years of fruitful professional relationships with the SCGN and its members at large.
Chief Executive Officer, SCGN, Mrs Chioma Mordi, said that the NGO had corporate membership, which spread corporate governance across various sectors.
Mordi called on the NCC to be a part of the Society for continuous access to information in corporate governance both locally and internationally.
According to SCGN, it is committed to developing and promoting corporate governance best practices and business ethics founded by Prof. Fabian Ajogwu.
The Society has collaborated with some institutions to develop sectorial corporate governance codes and guidelines as well as organise capacity-building training for their sectors and industries.
Dominica Nwabufo
