Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami says virtual engagement has drastically reduced the cost of governance, fight corruption and security which in turns grows the economy.
The Minister stated this in Abuja during the official virtual commissioning of seven projects being the 9th batch of projects executed by its agencies, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Speaking before commissioning the projects, Dr. Pantami said, through virtual activities resources are being saved by the federal government because there is no need of travelling to projects sites before commissioning.
“Through virtual activities, government resources are being saved.
“These projects are in several locations; just assume that this total number of staff here. We are going to travel from one state to another. Each and every one of us is going to be paid with his ticket which is a D T and other logistics that may come up” he said.
According to him, the projects executed by the parastatal are to help the President in the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and strategy for Digital Nigeria. And that these projects are in line with the three priority areas of the federal government of Nigeria “that is economic development security and eradicating corruption.”
They include Community ICT Centre, Dutse, Jigawa State, North West, ICT Hub, Abubakar Balewa University, Bauchi North East, Digital Economy Centre, Imo State Polytechnic, South East, Digital Economy Centre, Garki Secondary School, Abuja North Central.
Others are Digital Economy Centre, Ojodu Grammar School, Lagos State, Emergency Communications Centre Abeokuta, Ogun State South West and Emergency Communication Centre, Enugu also South East.
The Minister explained that “The ICT parks and the Digital economy centres are inclined to economic development and secondly they are also inclined to fighting corruption.
“We build capacity of our citizens and we also encourage them to migrate from manual and traditional activities to online activities.”
In his words, “This is to show to us that by doing this and by building the capacity of our citizens. Huge amount of money is going to be saved for the federal government of Nigeria while.”
The Minister noted that the two emergency communications centres one in Enugu and Abeokuta Ogun state are part of the federal government policies of fighting insecurity and they have been very useful in doing that.
“Promote and enhance public safety through the use of the 112 number, designated as the Universal Safety and Emergency Assistance Number for telephone services generally; and Encourage and facilitate the prompt deployment of a seamless, ubiquitous and reliable end-to-end infrastructure for emergency communications needs,” he added.
Dr. Pantami further stated that “the plan on ground is to ensure that we have emergency communications centres in each and every state of the federation including FCT. So our plan is to have a minimum of 37 centres where if you have any case of emergency. You will be able to reach out to the centres and they will link up with the relevant institutions that you need their intervention in order to continue to promote the national digital economy Policy and strategy.”
In his goodwill message, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, appreciated the minister and thanked him for speedy approval of projects that will help drive the national digital policy and prayed that funds should be available to execute all the projects
In the same vein, Director-General NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa was full of gratitude to the minister for his unflinching support to the agency and that with him at the helm of affairs the country will achieve its set target because he knows that the minister is a goal-getter.
The Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT Mrs. Abimbola Alale, while applauding the minister said he is “set for national digital strategy and he is doing everything possible for us to achieve the dream.”
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Festus Daudu said he has no doubt the ministry and its agencies will achieve the goal of National Digital Economy Policy.
Also, the Post Master General, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Adebayo Adewusi, was not left out as he congratulated the minister and the ministry for doing what they have promised. ” you are working the talk.”
One of the beneficiaries, the Principal of Ojodu Grammar School, Lagos State, Mrs. Rachael Adesola, said the ICT centre by the NITDA was already being utilized by students and that students were using the computers to enhance learning, do research and class activities. She urged the federal government to sustain such good interventions.
Nnenna.O
