The Interview Editors
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged to increase collaboration with higher institutions of learning across the country in order to transform Nigeria into a full knowledge-based economy.
Professor Adeolu Akande, the Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC made the pledge during a courtesy visit by NCC Board members to Bayero University, Kano (BUK) at the weekend.
The courtesy call was part of activities lined up for the 2020 NCC Board retreat held in Kano State.
Akande praised the university for producing Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, saying the NCC superintends a sector that is knowledge-driven.
He said it would not be able to achieve its mandate without strengthening collaboration with citadels of knowledge like BUK and other higher institutions of learning to produce the knowledge base needed to support the growth of the telecoms sector.
“The NCC is superintending a sector that is knowledge-driven. In the absence of the citadels of learning, one could only imagine what would have become of the communications industry. So, if we come to Kano, we need to come to the prime centre of learning in Kano and other universities across the state,” he said.
Akande said the sector, which NCC regulates, had also benefited immensely from the knowledge being imparted by the university.
He said the BUK has produced a good ambassador, excellent professional and a man with administrative acumen and superb human relations in Prof. Danbatta.
“Hence, the Board of NCC decided to visit Bayero University with the EVC, who is a ‘home boy’ and to show our appreciation for the services of the EVC, an outstanding product of the university, has been rendering to the nation at the NCC.
We are here also to show that we work together and our coming to Bayero University would be an expression of appreciation of Danbatta’s good work at the NCC,” he said.
Appreciating the university’s management for hosting the NCC’s despite a short notice, Danbatta used the opportunity to also congratulate Prof. Sagir Abbas for his appointment as the 11th Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university.
While expressing delight to receive the NCC Board, Abbas noted that the school management cancelled all engagements to receive the board in order to show the university’s high regards for Danbatta, whose name, he said, cannot be omitted in the history of Bayero University.
“Prof. Danbatta has served the university diligently, as lecturer, as head of department, as Dean, as director and he was also a former VC in Kano University of Science and Technology, but wherever he goes, you find him relating to his base.
“So, we hold him in very high esteem and we are always happy to see him and his team discharging the national assignment his is saddled with and Bayero University is proud to be associated with him. We have no doubt that the Board and Management of NCC will enjoy him more as he begins his second term in office,” he said.
