The officials of Benue State Government visited the corporate head office of the Nigeria Communications Commission in Abuja. The meeting was to seek areas of collaboration and partnership with NCC in the state’s digital transformation journey.
The Benue delegation led by Hon. Kwaghgba Amande (Hon Commissioner for Communication and Digital Economy), had on the delegation, Dr. Reverend Frederick Ikyaan (Hon Commissioner for Education), Mr. Owoicho Igoji (Chief of Staff/SA on Stakeholder Management to the MD/CEO of BDIC) and representing the MD/CEO of BDIC-Hon Gbande H. Terwase, Mr. Ikomi Toritse -a Board Member of BDIC) and the BDIC lead, Infraco -Engnr Emmanuel Akaade.
The delegation had a very useful meeting with the NCC team led by Mrs Tokunboh Oyeleye who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC- Dr Aminu Maida.
Leading the conversation at the meeting, Hon. Kwaghgba (Benue state commissioner for Communications and Digital Economy) thanked the EVC and Management of NCC for giving Benue state the opportunity to share the progress on their digital transformation journey and to seek collaboration and support with NCC, who the state recognises as a major player within the Nigerian ICT ecosystem. He also acknowledged the visionary leadership of the state Governor, His Excellency Dr. Reverend Father Hyacinth Iornem Alia in the creation of the State Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy as well as the establishment of Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC) as vehicles for delivering the digital transformation initiatives in Benue state.
The Hon Commissioner spoke passionately about the commitment of the State Executive Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia’ s commitment to the adoption of technology as a major driver of his digital transformation agenda in the state. According to the Hon Commissioner, it is in view of the Governor’s commitment to these ideals that he strategically created the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to drive ICT policies and programs in the state.
In furtherance of this commitment, the Benue state Government, along with other investors, also established the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC) to implement the state policies on shared ICT services and infrastructure across the MDAs, the underserved and unserved communities in Benue state and Nigeria. The enabling law allows BDIC to operate along private sector best practices for expected return on investment. Other measures which the state has taken to drive this transformation vision, according to Mr. Kwaghgba, include, amongst others, the signing of an Executive order on ease of doing business in the ICT sub-sector of the economy especially RoW waiver and sanctionable action on those involved in disruption of ICT operations and operators in the state.
Specifically, the State, through BDIC sought support and collaboration from NCC in her several ICT interventions in the area of digital skills training, national security initiatives, stakeholder management workshops for advocacy and awareness, E-learning and speedy processing of BDIC’s pending application for four licences.
The state, understanding the importance of collaboration across stakeholders especially with major voices like NCC for laudable outcomes acknowledges that as the reason for this all-important trip to NCC.
Responding, Mrs Oyeleye, representing the EVC of NCC thanked the Benue state delegation for creating time to visit the commission and seeking ways of support and collaboration. Continuing, Mrs Oyeleye stated that while NCC intervention may not be new in the state, with the current Ministry of Communications in the state and BDIC as an implementing vehicle, NCC will, within her budget and scope, deepen their presence and strengthen the existing interventions for the good of the citizens of Benue state.
She further stated the willingness of NCC to consider the state’s request for other areas of intervention especially training and stakeholder management to the extent that their budget may allow and in the face of requests from other stakeholders. Benue state NCC will fine tune the details of the areas of support and collaboration with more engagements in the days ahead.
With BDIC as an implementing vehicle and the state Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in firm commitment to good ICT policies, the stage is set for actualising Governor Alia’s dream of digitally transforming Benue state.
