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Danbatta reels out achievements as Nigeria hands over WATRA chairmanship to Republic of Guinea
Nasiru Yusuf
Having successfully piloted the affairs of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) as Chairman in the last one year, Nigeria has handed over the mantle of leadership of the Assembly to the Republic of Guinea.
KANO FOCUS reports that Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who served Nigeria’s tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s national telecommunications regulatory authority, handed over to the newly elected Chairman of the Assembly, Sekou Oumar Barry, of the Republic of Guinea.
The hand over ceremony was one of the major highlights of the recently-concluded 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of WATRA which took place in Conakry, Republic of Guinea. The AGM equally approved WATRA’s new Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2022-2024.
Barry, the new chairman, who will preside over the affairs of the Executive Council of WATRA for the next one year, is the Director General of the Telecommunication and Posts Regulatory Authority (ARPT) of the Republic of Guinea. The Assembly also elected the representatives of Mali and Sierra-Leone as 1st and 2nd Vice Chairmen respectively.
In his address at the event, Danbatta acknowledged the important role WATRA has been playing in creating policy, legal and regulatory frameworks for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the sub-region since the mid-1990s and commended the synergy among member states, which he noted has continued to provide an economic defense for member countries against global shocks, especially innthe context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Nigeria, Danbatta said ICT currently contributes 17 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with ambitious target of 20 per cent contribution over the next three years, stating that if one big regional market in which ICT policies and regulations are aligned is created, WATRA members can drive ICT investment and growth faster in their respective countries and collectively in the sub-region.
Danbatta recalled that he had worked closely with the Executive Secretary of WATRA, Aliu Aboki, and his team in last 12 months to achieve a lot in the re-organisation of WATRA’s internal governance and processes to make them more efficient and transparent.
The EVC, thus, thanked the Executive Secretary and his team for the energy with which they had pursued the re-positioning task just as he commended the Executive Committee for the clarity of purpose with which they have spelt out these priorities.
Danbatta said some of his achievements as WATRA Chairman, include the delivery of draft four-year strategic plan in line with 18th AGM resolution, partial payment of long-outstanding membership dues by some member states after long periods of inactivity, deployment of the new WATRA automated Asset Management System, successful organization of various high-quality capacity building programs for members, optimization of WATRA accounting, finance, and budgeting process, as well as institution of procedures for improved accountability, marked by weekly financial dashboard.
The achievements recorded under Danbatta’s one-year chairmanship also include the deployment of automatic external phone answer and routing system, completion of front-end and back-end development of the redesigned WATRA website, joint development by WATRA, the Coordination Team, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission of a new organizational framework for roaming regulation implementation, reactivation of Niger participation in ECOWAS roaming regulation implementation through WATRA-ECOWAS Commission collaboration.
Other achievements of WATRA under Danbatta’s leadership include re-translation of WATRA constitution drafted and under review by Executive Committee, renewed engagements with ECOWAS on World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) 2023 collaboration, joint conduct of the 2nd WRC2023 prep meeting, successful organisation of 2-day technical physical meeting in Abuja on fraud and roaming tariffs for ECOWAS regional roaming in collaboration with ECOWAS Commission, kick-off of Digital Transformation of WATRA Operations and WATRA Operating Model review service being part of a $300,000 grant from the Nigerian government through NCC, Nigeria.
While congratulating Barry, as the new WATRA Chairman, Danbatta expressed the conviction that the new leadership will build on the modest achievements of the last one year. “When members see the unique role that WATRA plays in easing the task of national regulators to adopt or fine-tune regulations through mutual learning and capacity building, they see more reason to engage and be active within WATRA. So, if we build on the modest achievements of the Assembly, the benefits will be with the region for decades,” he said.
He also stated that both at home or in the diaspora, West Africa has the talents to study the most efficient ICT regulations in the world and adapt it for the region’s purposes so that it can attract greater investment into the regions and transform the economy of member states.
“What we have to do is to continue the work of building WATRA into a platform that seamlessly deploys these talents and capacity to the 16 member states. The gains to us are enormous,” Danbatta stated with patent conviction.
The EVC further assured his colleagues in WATRA of his commitment to supporting the new leadership in all ways possible.
“As I hand over to the incoming Chairman, please be assured of my continued support and that of the Nigerian Communications Commission and, indeed, the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to WATRA,” Danbatta said.
In his acceptance speech, Barry, who thanked Danbatta for making giant strides in the last 12 months, promised to work with the Executive Committee team and the Management Team to consolidate the achievements of the Assembly, and to ensure greater success of the Assembly for the future.
The 19th AGM was attended by the following 14 of the 16 WATRA member states: Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger Republic, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Republic of Guinea, The Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso and Benin Republic. Ghana and Liberia were absent at the meeting.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Ibrahim Khalil
Government Secondary School (GSS) Army Day Bukavu has emerged champion in both the male and female categories of the maiden Kano State Secondary Schools Tug of War Competition.
KANO FOCUS reports that the school clinched the double victory at the competition, which ended on Wednesday at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, Kano.
Governors College finished as runners-up in the male category, while Government Girls College (GGC) Kano secured second position in the female category.
The competition was organised by the Kano State Tug of War Association in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kano State Sports Commission.
The maiden championship brought together secondary school students to promote teamwork, discipline, unity and sportsmanship, while raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Jamilu Uba Adamu, described the competition as a successful initiative that had achieved its objectives.
He commended the Ministry of Education, Sports Commission, NDLEA, Gongoni Company Limited and MAGZO Pharmaceutical for supporting the event, particularly through the provision of T-shirts and Pocari Sweat drinks.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Bashir Muhammad Sulaiman, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to developing grassroots and school sports.
He said the initiative would help identify and nurture young sporting talents across the state.
The closing ceremony was attended by a member of the Kano State Football Association Board, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa Garu, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NDLEA, the Sports Commission and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The organisers congratulated the winning schools and commended all participating institutions and partners for contributing to the success of the maiden edition.
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