The minister made this promise on Friday in Lagos at an interactive meeting with journalists, she said the ministry was established as a result of years of agitations by the stakeholders for a supervising ministry to co-ordinate, facilitate and drive the development of the ICT sector.
She said President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan decided to respond to the call of establishing the ministry because he was acutely informed of the strategic and important role that ICT plays not only in national development but also in national competitiveness and the creation of much needed jobs especially for the younger generation.
The minister said Nigeria had recorded tremendous success in telecoms sector with a progressive policy environment, describing the country as an exemplar all over the world.
"We have had so much success in telecom industry, we had a very strong policy and regulation environment that has driven the success we have seen today," she said.
She revealed that the country had one of the fastest growing telecoms markets in the world as well as the largest mobile subscriber base in sub-Saharan African, but noted that the IT sector for a great number of reasons had not been a success.
"In fact, despite the success of our telecoms industry, the ICT sector accounted for only 3.5 per cent of GDP, compared with 10 per cnet for South Africa," the minister explained.
She stated that the great challenge before her ministry was how to take telecoms industry to the next level via data, the internet and e-business, and how to build a more robust and successful IT industry. She added that the mandate of the ministry include facilitating universal, ubiquitous and cost effective access to communication infrastructure such as a national fibre optic back bone.
She explained that the ministry mandate also include promoting the utilization of ICT in all spheres of life to optimise the communications infrastructure in the area of digital content, domestic software applications, the delivery of private and public service, e-business and e-government.
Also, among others, she said "is to promote and facilitate the development of the ICT industry and in so doing increase the contribution of the ICT industry to the GDP, to deploy information and communication technology to drive transparency in government and improve the quality and cost effective of public service delivery."
She disclosed that her predecessor had set up a committee that was looking at the telecoms sector, stressing that a few weeks ago, plan was concluded on a draft of the telecom policy. She added that on Thursday, she inaugurated a smaller committee within the ministry with many experts who will look at the draft policy and existing once, noting that the committee was headed by NISPA and has six weeks to harmonise the policy into one that would enable the ministry achieve its mandate.
She pointed out that efforts would be made to work towards increasing competition in the sector which will benefit the consumers and the country, urging the media to play a very vital role in the success of the ministry especially in the areas of awareness creation, information dissemination.
"This new ministry will of course work very close with the private sector in Nigeria, international partners and other supporting governments through its implementing agencies. Implementing agencies are the Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC), Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone and the Nigeria Postal Service," the minister said.
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Oladipupo Akinwumi
Quelle/Source: WorldStage, 27.08.2011
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
