The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali-Pantami, has disclosed reasons for recommending the Executive Vice Chairman, EVC, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, to President Muhammadu Buhari for reappointment.
The minister, who made the disclosure on Tuesday when the Executive Management of the Commission paid him a courtesy visit, said the decision was to ensure stability in the telecommunications industry.
He said that it was also to consolidate on the gains and successes that the industry had already recorded in the last five years of Danbatta’s leadership as the EVC of NCC.
Pantami, however, emphasised the need for NCC’s management to work more harmoniously with the ministry and agencies toward ensuring effective implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, NDEPS, as well as thorough implementation of the new National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020-2025.
He reminded the EVC that the focus of this administration was to boost digital economy, which was more important, following the experience of COVID-19 pandemic that left many individuals and organisations relying more on digital platforms for work and collaboration.
“The success of the commission is our collective responsibility. While we, as a ministry, do our best to formulate general industry policy and supervise 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 EVC,” he said.
“So, 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,” he charged.
Earlier, Danbatta, who led the delegation, appreciated the minister’s role in his reappointment and reiterated his commitment to taking the commission to greater heights.
“I consider my reappointment as the EVC of NCC for another five years as an honour and a show of the confidence the Hon. Minister and the President have in our efforts at NCC in the last five years.
“We will like to assure the minister of our commitment as a commission, to work with the ministry and other agencies under the ministry’s supervision toward advancing the frontiers of digital economy in Nigeria,” the EVC said.
Those who accompanied the EVC during the visit were the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Mr Ubale Maska; the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Mr Adeleke Adewolu;
Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) Shu’aibu Ayuba; Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, Mrs Yetunde Akinloye; Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Mr Efosa Idehen.
Others were the Director, Public Affairs, Dr Henry Nkemadu; Director, Licensing and Authorisation, Mohammed Babajika, and Director, Human Capital and Administration, Usman Malah.
