Speaking
at this year’s DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) forum on internet governance for
development held in Lagos at the weekend, the minister who was represented by
Engr. Festus Daudu, acting director, Spectrum Management in the ministry said
while internet governance deals with the digital world, it remains unfortunate
that the mobile economy is not yet accessible to the majority of our
population.
The
minister, stressing that the successful governance of the Internet requires the
coming together of stakeholders noted that while the world summit on the
information society’s defi nes internet governance as the development of shared
principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that go on
to shape the evolution and use of the Internet, it is always very challenging
to come up with shared positions. “We all know how challenging it is to come up
with shared positions etc. when each stakeholder group comes with its own
priorities and has roles that can at times confl ict with one another.” Johnson
observed.
She
described the theme of the forum; Internet Governance and Mobile Economy in
Nigeria as having great importance “as we all seek to develop and implement a
shared vision for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in
Nigeria, as well as increase its contribution towards the development of the
country.”
Notably,
she described the DigitalSENSE Africa forum as a recognised platform for the
discussion of ICT issues with particular reference to Internet Governance and
an important channel for the emergence of recommendations towards implementation/
action plans for the future development of the Internet and mobile economy in
Nigeria.
In a
related development, presiding over the public forum at which the harmonized
draft national ICT policy was discussed by cross section of stakeholders,
Johnson said the draft policy is in line with transforming Nigeria into a
knowledge based economy in which ICTs are key drivers of the way we deliver
social services - educate our children, deliver healthcare, and ensure public
safety.
She further submitted that
ICTs will also drive how we engage with government and increase our
productivity through better access, organisation and dissemination of
information and knowledge.
(Excerpts from NationalMirror)... Making sense out of digital revolution!
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