The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications
Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has called on all Nigerians “to
take advantage of the social media platforms to exchange information and
participate in the political, social and economic processes of our
country in ways that promote peace and enable us to build a more united
and prosperous nation”.
Danbatta stated this on Wednesday in Lagos through Tony Ojobo, NCC’s
Director of Public Affairs, who represented him at the maiden edition of
CKN News Annual Public Lecture titled: The Role of the Social Media in
the Socio-Economic and Political Development of Nigeria.
While delivering the keynote address at the event, he said NCC was
technologically neutral in its regulatory role and will not regulate
social media use, but that “The Cybercrimes Act 2015 already defines
offences associated with social media use and stipulates punishments for
breaches. He therefore advised all citizens to be mindful of the law in
their use of social media networks.”
The EVC’s voice was amplified by the Guest Lecturer, HE, Rt.
Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, who recalled
numerous anecdotal evidences using personal examples to outline the bad
side of the social media use in Nigeria, even as Amaechi praised
experienced journalists who now run online media platforms for playing
by the rules.
At the highly participatory event, also attended by Dr. Boboye
Oyeyemi, Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Danbatta
told the audience that NCC has auctioned several data frequencies and
re-farmed others to ensure that Nigerians continue to have access to
data to participate actively in the digital economy and sustain the
exponential social, economic and political gains that the social media
and the Internet has facilitated for our society.
Danbatta thus promised that the Management of NCC will continue to
engage all stakeholders in the telecom industry – central among which is
the consumer – in order to improve the quality of regulation by NCC and
to enhance the quality of consumer experience.