By Harry Awurumibe, State House, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja unveiled the National Broadband Plan 2020 to 2025; National Emergency Communications Center and 112 toll-free number which can link up Nigerians to all emergency response agencies in the country at once.
He also commissioned the multi-million naira ultra-modern Communications & Digital Economy Complex at Mbora in the Jabi area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja even as he performed the Flag-off of the Digital, Innovative and Entrepreneurship Training at the same place.
In his address, President Buhari said, “the launching and unveiling of Nigeria National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 and flag-off of the Digital, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Training Center will create jobs and thereby will be contributing to the national drive of lifting Nigerians out of poverty.
The Commissioning of the Communications and Digital Economy complex will provide a befitting coordinating center for our new focus of the Nigerian Digital Economy. It signals our desire to intensify efforts towards ensuring that Nigeria becomes an active participant in the global Digital Economy.
President Buhari said that “I must commend the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy complex, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Presidential Committee and all the stakeholders who participated in the development of this National Broadband Plan.
I also thank the leadership of the ministry for the high level of synergy that has been created among the parastatal under its supervision.
I, therefore, commission all these programmes and look forward to calling on stakeholders towards ensuring the full implementation of the New Broadband Policy plan and successful execution of the other programmes. Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Chief Host and Convener, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami who is the Honourable Minister of Communications & Digital Economy praised President Buhari for his foresight in the creation of the ministry and his assistance to make it succeed.
Said he, “Broadband is key to our economy and I can not thank Mr. President, my boss enough for his support for the New National Broadband Plan. I am always thankful to him for gracing this event personally.
“As we converge here today we are commissioning, unveil, launch and flag-off of the Digital, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Training Center. The four are key to Mr. President”s vision for Nigeria.
The Minister also said that his ministry’s plan under Digital Nigeria is to train people who will provide services for people even in the United States of America (USA) and elsewhere.
The highlight of the occasion was when President Buhari made the first 112 Emergency Toll-free call to the National Emergency Communications Center in FCT.
He later inspected the facilities in the new complex.
