NAN-H-19
Roadmap
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Dec, 26, 2016 (NAN) The Ministry of Communications ICT Road Map 2016 is already being implemented, Mr Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications has said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four-year road map from 2016 to 2020 is to fast track development in the Nigeria’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
Shittu disclosed this when he featured at the NAN Forum in Abuja.
He said that the road map ought to have been launched four months ago but there were some delays.
“I don’t have to wait for the actual go ahead. It ought to have been launched about four months ago.
“The operators have all made inputs into the formulation of the road map, but I want to assure you that we are already implementing the road map.
“Publicising it and getting the Federal Executive Council’s nod will be a formality because there is no alternative to what we have done,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the new road map involves five steps toward making Nigeria a smart and digital oriented country and it aims to create a pathway to national security and wealth creation for every Nigerian.
The five steps in the road-map are – Building on ICT Sector Growth; SMART Government to Deliver ICT and Broadband Penetration .
Others are Growing Revenue, Reducing Waste: Policy as Innovative continuity for Private Sector led continuous innovation and migration to a digitally savvy Nigeria through capacity building, job and wealth creation.
On cyber crime, Shittu said that cyber criminality was a worldwide phenomenon and the country needed more investments to tackle it.
“All over the world, for somebody to steal your money, he does not have to come to Nigeria; he could stay in the U.S. and steal from your account in Nigeria.
“Is not about Nigeria, what Nigeria should be doing is to try and build walls to protect our cyber space.
“I want to believe that the office of the National Security Adviser, who is saddled with the responsibility of implementing the cyber security act, is in the best position to do so and of course he will need encouragement and cooperation of all Nigerians,’’ he said. (NAN)
COA/GY/YEE
Edited by Grace Yussuf/Emmanuel Yashim
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