Business
FIVE parastatals under the ministry of communications and digital economy have continued to implement people-oriented projects to advance the digital economy agenda of President Muhamma Buhari.
They are Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, NIGCOMSAT, Galaxy Backbone and the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST.
The parastatals inaugurated the projects to demonstrated their commitment toward promoting digital economy again during the virtual inauguration of 11 new Information and Communications Technology, ICT, projects implemented by them.
The projects were inaugurated by Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of ministry of communications and digital economy in Abuja, at the Digital Economy Complex on Tuesday, August 11.
The projects, which were inaugurated virtually across the country by Pantami include the Emergency Communication Centres, ECC’s, in Ilorin, Kwara State and Calabar, Cross River.
The other are the e-Health/Data Sharing Centre, Medical College, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; and Virtual Examination Centre, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, all implemented by the NCC.
Two projects executed by the USPF were also inaugurated. They include the Tertiary Institution Knowledge Centre, TIKC, Delta State and School Knowledge Centre, SKC, located at Government Day Secondary School, Hassan Central, Gombe State.
The NITDA implemented three projects: the Information Technology, IT, and Incubation Park, University of Ayangba, Kogi State, ICT Capacity Building Centres at the College of Education, Gumel, Jigawa State and Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.
Also inaugurated were the new Neighborhood Post Office/NIRSAL Microfinance bank branch, Delta State and the Remodelled National Mail Exchange Centre (Mbiama), Ahoada West Local Government Area of River State executed by NIPOST.
During the event, Pantami, who noted that over 500 projects have been executed by agencies under the ministry in the past five years, said the projects are connected to the tripartite agenda of the President focusing on enhancing national security, diversification of the economy and curbing corruption.
Realnews reports that the 11 projects are in sync with seven of the eight pillars of the country’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, NDEPS, unveiled by the President last year.
The minister appreciated Buhari for being supportive of the ministry’s initiative towards addressing extant challenges of vandalism of telecom infrastructure, Right of Way, RoW, issues, among others in order to accelerate broadband penetration to 70 per cent as envisaged by the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025).
Prof. Adeolu Akande, chairman, NCC Governing Board, thanked the minister for the visibility he is giving the projects being executed by the agencies under the ministry.
On his part, Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of NCC, reiterated the commitment of the commission towards implementing policies and programmes aimed at fast-tracking the advancement of digital economy vision of the Federal Government.
The event was well attended by governors and ministers, who were special guests among whom were Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, who chaired the event.
The special guests took turns to commend the minister for the important projects and for enhancing synergy between the ministry and its agencies.
– Aug. 11, 2020 @ 8:51 GMT /
Tags: Hope Uzodimma Isa Ibrahim Pantami NIGCOMSAT Nigerian Communications Commission Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited NIPOST Prof. Umar Danbatta Tertiary Institution Knowledge Centre Why NCC and other agencies under Digital Economy ministry inaugurated 11 projects
