The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry have given their support to the body of telecoms reporters in the country.
They urged the body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters' Association (NITRA), to use its platform to further deepen technology development in the country, through robust reporting.
They gave the advice during the inauguration of NITRA in Lagos at the weekend.
The inauguration of NITRA was a move that would engender faster industry growth through collaboration with industry stakeholders on different fronts in and outside the country, they said.
The Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), were among industry stakeholders that joined forces with NCC to advise NITRA on the need for industry collaboration that would drive technology development in the country.
Other industry players that supported the NITRA inauguration included Zinox Computers, Computer Warehouse Group, MTN Nigeria, Visafone, Signal Alliance, Globacom, Resourcery, Teledom International, Airtel, Samsung, Cisco and Ericsson, JSP Communications, The Quadrant Company Xlr8 Communications, as well as Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, among others.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr, Eugene Juwah, said the formation of NITRA was strategic for proper coordination among journalists in driving ICT development.
Juwah, in a keynote address on ‘Broadband Penetration: Opportunities for Business Growth and Sustainability’ underscored how broadband is accelerating growth in every facet of the economy.
The NCC boss, who was represented by an Assistant Director, Technical Services, Bako Wakil, however, stated that the Commission would identify with the vision and mission of NITRA.
“Let me first congratulate you for being able to coordinate this event which is a culmination of your efforts in forming better platform for effective coverage of the industry. It is also heart-warming that your vision is to drive ICT Development through your mission to ensure ethical accurate, regulators and other key stakeholders for sustainable development of the ICT industry," Juwah said.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Emmanuel Ukuwem, commended ICT journalists for their role in nation building.
ATCON President, Mr. Lanre Ajayi and ALTON Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, who expressed their readiness to work with NITRA, advised the association’s leadership to be transparent in its activities to members.
NITRA members, who are from both the print, electronic and on-line media houses, said the decision to inaugurate the body was borne out of the need to create an industry-wide awareness about the association and to formally unveil its activities to industry stakeholders.
Highlighting the mandates of NITRA, they said as critical stakeholders in the ICT industry, NITRA would continue to play the role of keeping the government and its agencies on their toes by assessing their performance in terms of policy formulation and implementation with a view to ensuring that ICT continues to be a major contributor to the nation’s economy.
“This is in line with our cardinal role as journalists, as contained in the Section 22 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, which states, inter alia, that “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people,” they said.