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Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has tasked the newly re-appointed Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for another five-year term, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, to redouble his efforts in consolidating the gains made by the telecoms industry including the federal government blueprint for a national digital economy.
Pantami’s counseled Danbatta and the NCC’s Executive Management when they paid him a courtesy visit, this week in Abuja, on the need to work in harmony with the ministry and its other agencies in the effective implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
His words: “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 Executive Vice Chairman.
“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 the commission,”
In Lagos, also this week, the umbrella body for telecom and ICT operators, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) expressed support for the re-appointed telecoms ombudsman.
“We pledge our commitment to work with [Danbatta] and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and by extension, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to sustain and accelerate the growth and development of the Nigerian Telecoms and Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry,” said ATCON in a statement signed by its president, Olusola Teniola.
Earlier during the visit by Danbatta and the Executive Management to the minister’s office, Pantami had revealed that the re-appointment of the NCC’s boss by President Muhammadu Buhari was to ensure stability in the industry which has continued to record a stable and rising impact on the country’s GDP. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the ICT contribution to Nigeria’s GDP in Q1 2020 rose from 13.32% in Q1 2019 to 14.07%.
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“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 his leadership,” said Pantami.
“I consider my reappointment … for another five years, as an honour and a show of the confidence the president and the minister have in our efforts at NCC in the last five years. We would like to assure the 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,” said Danbatta while thanking the minister for his role in his re-appointment.
ATCON’s president Teniola while also commending the minister for his support of Danbatta assured both Pantami and the telecoms regulator of the association’s desire to collaborate in advancing a common agenda in the industry. ATCON expressed confidence in the ability of Danbatta to move the industry forward.
“We know that his recommendation [by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy]is predicated on him [Danbatta] being a technocrat, a professional and a promoter of human relations and human capacity who has over the years initiated and implemented successful policies that have positive impact on businesses and Nigerians and we are very confident that he is equal to the task ahead,” said Teniola.
