The Executive Director, Operations
at the DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke has commended the
Minister of Communications Technology (CommTech) for living up to her promise
to seek stakeholders comments on the draft national policy on the Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT).
Speaking at the weekend, she said
that this approach is the first of its kind by the Ministry since its creation
and should be commended, urging the Minister to extend the comment period by
one week due to the period lost to the fuel subsidy removal protest in the
country.
As said by her, already several
stakeholders’ organizations are warming up to ensure inputs from their various
end to ensure their comments are included, but with the extension of the
deadline, would really boost the quality of inputs.
“Fulfilling this promise by the
minister means there is hope for the sector and Nigerians generally,” she said.
Mrs. Nweke also urged stakeholders
to concentrate on topics capable of moving the ICT sector forward rather than
individualism, noting that every input made at this time would aid the ministry
led by Mrs. Johnson to reposition, especially as the stakeholders work towards
actualizing the converged ICT regulation for the sector at large.
She also said that with the calling
off the strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, that lots of
issues are waiting professionals in the industry, whose holidays period have
been extended immediately after the Christmas and New Year with the strike
declared by Labour in response to the Federal Government’s hike of pump prices
from N65 to N140.
The DSA boss explained that with the
suspension of strike, stakeholders definitely would need an extended little
time to contribute meaningfully to the draft national ICT policy, which current
deadline is next week Monday.
She noted that CommTech Minister may
be working on schedule, but maintained on the need to at least extend the
comment period by one week, especially given that people’s access to the
document could be limited during the strike that last for one week.
She recalled that Ministry of
Communications Technology, has last week Monday unveiled the draft National
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy document on its website
for comments by stakeholders in the country.
The draft policy was uploaded Monday
morning in fulfillment of pledge by CommTech Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson on
the Ministry’s website at http://commtech.gov.ng and the Ministry’s Blog
at http://blog.commtech.gov.ng.
Noteworthy is that the Special Adviser on Media
and Publicity to the Minister, Mrs. Efem Nkanga had said that the 55-page
policy document is the harmonization of the disparate policies governing the
ICT industry.
(Excerpts from ITRealmsOnline)
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