The Interview Editors
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has vowed to continue to build the communications sector considering the significant role it is playing in how people interact both in social and official engagements.
NCC’s director of public affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, said in a virtual meeting with the Commission’s media partners on Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic had drastically changed the way we communicate and interact with digital platforms becoming the norm for carrying out official and personal activities.
He said, “This virtual meeting today (Wednesday) is a testament to this new normal.”
Adinde said the digital media environment had 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,” he added
There has been a considerable increase in the number of people, he said, accessing the news via online platforms, especially among younger audiences, it’s NCC’s vision to be the leading public sector brand in the use of online media for organizational communication and stakeholder engagement.
The communications sector and telecoms, Adinde noted, “is indeed the most vibrant and dynamic sector of the economy and requires excellent leadership and stewardship, no wonder President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved the reappointment of Prof. Umar Danbatta as the EVC/CEO of the NCC for another term of five years which has since been confirmed by the Senate.
“The fate of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry has yet again been entrusted to a tested and trusted hand and you have a role to play to ensure factual reportage of the Commissions activities and initiatives.”
He added that, “On our part, we will continue to work with you to accomplish the goals and objectives which define our shared interests in building the ICT Sector and telecom in particular for the greater good of Nigerians.
“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.”
The NCC director said, “Let me use this opportunity to solicit your continuous support in the area of enlightening the general public on the various consumer-centric regulatory initiatives of the Commission. As our online media partners, I urge you to constantly visit the NCC’s official website (www.ncc.gov.ng) which is a repository of information and necessary latest statistics on the performance of the telecommunications industry.”
