Headlines
90% of Nigerians will be computer-literate by 2030–Pantami
Nasiru Yusuf
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Ali Pantami has revealed plans by the Federal Government to make at least 90 percent of Nigerians computer-literate by 2030.
The minister expressed optimism that at least, 90 percent of Nigerians will be digitally literate by the end of the decade as all agencies in the ministry will be involved in series of training and retraining.
Mr Pantami was speaking at a media parley with journalists in Abuja.
He explained the goal of turning Nigeria digital by making citizens computer-literate, owning a digital device (which the agencies in the Ministry have been assisting to facilitate), having access to the Internet, owning a bank account that can be accessed and operating digitally and online.
The Minister said beyond financial services, the Federal Government hopes to see majority of the citizens undertake many activities electronically.
According to him, this is in line with re-designation of the Federal Ministry of Communications to Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister said the re-designation was done to position Nigeria for the gains of digital economy and to achieve the central focus of the ministry to migrate the nation to a digital economy.
He said this is particularly significant as it enables Information and Communication Technology to mobilise other sectors and align with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the Federal Government.
The minister revealed that the federal government had directed the ministry to develop and implement a national digital economy strategy.
According to him all government parastatals are connected to the strategy in view of the centrality of ICT to development in other sectors of the economy, adding that the role of the Ministry is to coordinate the implementation of the policy and the strategy.
Mr Pantami revealed that different sections of the population are targeted for training and retraining, including women, youths, journalists, civil servants and those who obtained school certificate but unemployed.
The broadband plan
He explained that the 2020-2025 Broadband Plan is expected to be ready within the first quarter of 2020 and the plan is to ensure that all unserved and underserved areas have access to broadband services.
He said the Federal Government and the Ministry are encouraging many institutions to host their data in Nigeria as he promised to continue the advocacy.
The Minister emphasised that digital innovation and digital entrepreneurship are particularly important in ensuring increase in Nigeria’s GDP.
He made a comparison between Nigeria and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by stating that Nigeria’s GDP is $397 billion while MIT’s GDP is about five times higher, and attributed the disparity largely to inputs of digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Minister, however, explained that Nigeria is so blessed and needs to leverage that potential to ensure her teaming youths acquire enduring “skills that will make them to be potential employers rather than potential employees”.
Mr Pantami expressed optimism to seeing more Nigerians use the social media to support the digital economy by engaging it to achieve legitimate economic prosperity rather than promotion of division and hatred.
According to him, since September 25th, 2019, no Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card has been used in Nigeria without being properly registered.
“You may buy a SIM card but you cannot activate it to use unless it has been properly registered, and NCC will provide biodata of any improperly-used SIM card to the police or other security agencies within 24 hours whenever it is required.
“Life is more important than material benefits of having many SIM cards in circulation, and in any case, blocking improperly registered SIM cards did not diminish the contribution of ICT to GDP,” he said.
‘NIPOST should collect stamp duty’
On the challenges of the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), the Minister stated that the Ministry has made presentation to the Federal Government that NIPOST should be the collector of stamp duty and not the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and by implication the Federal Ministry of Finance,.
“So, we have challenged the status quo about the collection of stamp duty,” Dr Pantami said.
The Minister also unveiled the plan for the transformation of NIPOST with regard to undertaking a total restructuring and transformation.
“We will also commercialise some activities of the organisation by registering few companies to ensure the renovation and commercialisation of dilapidated NIPOST structure all over the country starting with NIPOST facilities in major cities,” he said.
The briefing was attended by chief executive officers and management staff of the FMoCDE and its agencies, including Ubale Maska, NCC’s Executive Commissioner Technical Services, who represented the EVC of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta.
Other are Adeleke Adewolu, NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Managing Director of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Abimbola Alale, Chairman of Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi and the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Limited Prof. Mohammed Abubakar.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria, PLANE, has revealed that it has trained over 8,000 primary school teachers in Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that the PLANE’s State Team Lead, Malam Umar Lawan, revealed this during a presentation at the Kano State Quarterly Review Meeting Agenda, held in Kano on Tuesday.
Represented by State Reform Facilitator Umma Muhammad Rakana, the State Team Lead said the training was conducted in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB).
Umma Muhammad Rakana
He added that PLANE had coordinated book and other learning materials distribution at the classroom level across the 532 schools in Kano state.
He said the distribution was to ensure every child own learning materials.
According to him, PLANE had supported 35 school-based management committees that sensitized stakeholders on book care and maintenance, including parents, SBMC, PTA chairmen, LGEA staff, community leaders, religious leaders, and youth groups.
Some of them, according to him, supported the programme by donating 2 hectares of land in Kafinwachiwaya, Takai Local Government area for the construction of 2 classrooms, and 2 bundles of zinc sheets.
“There were also various cash donations for bricks, sand, bags of cement ement, and costs for construction was also donated.“PLANE also organized
Reading Festivals in Minjibir and Gabasawa LGAs to promote reading culture amongst pupils, received financial donations from stakeholders, and LGEAs agreed to make the festival an annual event.
Cross section of critical stakeholders at the event
In the presentation, Lawan suggested that more teachers need to be employed to bridge the gaps of inadequate teachers in some schools, especially hard-to-reach areas.
He also advised for provision of other learning materials like pencils and exercise books by parent, noting that “this will further improve teaching and learning and better learning outcome for pupils.
Cross section of critical stakeholders at the meeting
“More school support visit needs to be conducted to ensure lesson delivery by teachers,” he said.
He said the purpose of the meeting was to give update on key activities conducted in the PLANE programmes in the last quarter, adding that the review would look at successes and challenges in order to find the way forward.
Earlier in a remark, the Commissioner for Education, Haruna Doguwa represented by Malam Munzali Mustapha commended the stakeholders for the meeting, which according to him, it was crucial to education sector.
Malam Munzali Mustapha
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Governor of Kano State Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has directed the Head of Civil Service Abdullahi Musa to supervise the office of the Secretary to the Kano State Government.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was contained in a statement issued by Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the spokesperson to the Governor in the early hours of Thursday.
The appointment was as a result of medical vacation taken by the SSG Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi who flew out of the country for medical treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor Shehu Wada Sagagi, the Head of Service is to provide a supervisory role pending the return of the SSG in the next few weeks.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has approved the elevation of his official spokesperson Mr. Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa from Chief Press Secretary to Director General, Media and Publicity.
KANO FOCUS reports that the elevation was contained in a statement issued by Aliyu Yusuf, Director Public Enlightenment, Kano State Government House, in the early hours of Thursday.
According to the statement the appointment is with immediate effect.
The statement also announced the appointment of other political office holders to occupy various positions as follows:
“Hon. Rabi’u Saleh Gwarzo, Permanent Commissioner I SUBEB , Engr. Sarki Ahmad, Director General, Rural Access and Mobility Project.
“Hon. Surajo Imam Dala, Director General, Cottage Trade and Street Hawking.
“Dr. Dahiru Saleh Muhammad, Executive Secretary, Science and Technical Schools Board.
“Abubakar Adamu Rano, Deputy Managing Director, Radio Kano
“Hajiya Hauwa Isah Ibrahim, Deputy Managing Director, ARTV.
“Dr. Gaddafi Sani Shehu, Deputy Managing Director, Kano Hydro Electricity Development Company (KHEDCO).”
While congratulating the new appointees, the Governor directed them to assume their new roles immediately.
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