- Reveals Prioritisation Of Online Media For Organizational Communication, Stakeholder Engagement
By Angeline Ngbele, Correspondent Abuja
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta has reaffirmed that the pride of place the Commission accords the media is in recognition of how critical they are in the success of the NCC as the foremost independent telecommunications regulatory authority in Africa.
Represented by the Director, Public Affairs, at the Commission, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Danbatta spoke during the virtual meeting at Microsoft Teams with online media partners of the Commission on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
According to the EVC/CEO at the NCC, The Commission had as one of its strategic tenets, deliberate partnership and collaboration with its various stakeholders and saw the media as a major part of its success and would like to appreciate the media’s contributions, timely and accurate dissemination of news and information regarding its regulatory activities as a telecoms industry regulator.
Said he: “There is no doubt that journalism and the way we report and disseminate news have changed in fundamental ways by virtue of technology. The COVID- 19 pandemic has also drastically changed the way we communicate and interact with digital platforms becoming the norm for carrying out official and personal activities. This virtual meeting today is a testament to this new normal.
“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.”
Alluding to his recent reappointment and confirmation for a second term in office, Danbatta noted that the communications sector and telecoms, in particular, was indeed the most vibrant and dynamic sector of the economy and required excellent leadership and stewardship, adding the fate of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry would continually benefit from a strong leadership saying the media had an indispensable role to play to ensure factual reportage of the Commissions activities and initiatives and pledged the Commission would continue to work with them to accomplish the goals and objectives which defined their(NCC/Media) shared interests in building the ICT Sector and telecom in particular for the greater good of Nigerians.
As per the EVC/CEO at the NCC, 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 underscored the policy directions of the Federal Government which the NCC was expected to drive working with the supervising ministry and other relevant industry stakeholders to extend the frontiers of the digital economy for Nigerians.
He added: “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.
We also urge you to always contact the Commission for necessary clarifications to ensure accurate and adequate reporting of the industry, as the NCC runs an Open House to our media stakeholders. 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. On our part we are committed to working with you as much as we can and within the budget that we have available.”
Dr. Adinde, who assumed duty on the June 23, 2020, said he was pretty conversant with the workings of the media and would do all within his powers, working in tandem with his colleagues, especially at the PAD, to cement the already cordial relationship existing between the media and the Commission.
