WorldStage Newsonline– The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Pro. Umar Garba Dambatta, has described the online media as critical stakeholders to advance a digital economy agenda.
Speaking during a virtual meeting with online media partners of the commission on Wednesday, Prof. Dambatta solicited for the support of the online media in the enlightening the general public on the various consumer-centric regulatory initiatives of the commission.
Prof. Dambatta, represented by the Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, called on the online media for continued collaboration in reporting activities and initiatives of the commission for the good of every Nigerian and for the growth of the telecom industry, saying “your role is indeed very critical.
“The Commission has as one of its strategic tenets, deliberate partnership and collaboration with our various stakeholders. We see you as a major part of our success and will like to appreciate your contributions, timely and accurate dissemination of news and information regarding our regulatory activities as a telecoms industry regulator.
“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.”
Prof. Dambatta, said further that “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.”
According to him, 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.
“Finally, let me reiterate the Commission’s resolve in ensuring that Nigerians are enlightened and carried along on the Commission’s journey to advance the digital economy agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and you the members of the 4th estate of the realm are indeed critical stakeholders on this journey,” he said.
