For digital economy in the country to become a reality and beneficial to the masses, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that accurate and responsible reportage of the activities of the commission is critical.
Speaking at a virtual meeting with online publishers, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the Director of Public Affairs, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, said that the Commission is resolved in ensuring that Nigerians are enlightened and carried along on the Commission’s journey to advance the digital economy agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and also noted that journalists, being the members of the fourth estate of the realm, are indeed critical stakeholders on this journey.
The EVC urged members of the media to continue to support the commission in the area of enlightening the general public on the various consumer-centric regulatory initiatives of the Commission.
According to Danbatta, “the Commission has as one of its strategic tenets, deliberate partnership and collaboration with various stakeholders. We see the press as a major part of our success and will like to appreciate your contributions, timely and accurate dissemination of news and information regarding our regulatory activities as a telecoms industry regulator.”
“The digital media environment has brought about new opportunities and challenges for online journalists. One of the many benefits of what you do as an online journalist is the real-time dissemination of information and the immediacy it involves. The availability of online news 24/7 and its accessibility and availability to consumers make your work very important, you are therefore constantly faced with the challenge of not only reporting events real-time, sometimes, but balancing that need for speed with the accuracy and integrity demanded by your profession.”
“There has been a considerable increase in the number of people accessing the news via online platforms, especially among younger audiences, it’s our vision therefore to make NCC the leading public sector brand in the use of online media for organizational communication and stakeholder engagement”.
“We call on your support and continued collaboration in reporting our activities and initiatives for the good of every Nigerian and for the growth of the telecom industry, your role is indeed very critical”,Danbatta said.
Danbatta also reiterated the commitment of the commission to building the ICT Sector and telecom for the greater good of Nigerians.
He added that the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), the New National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), the NCC Strategic Management Plan (2020-2024), creation of the Digital Economy Department all underscore the policy directions of the Federal Government which the NCC is expected to drive working with our supervising ministry and other relevant industry stakeholders to extend the frontiers of the digital economy for Nigerians.
