NAN-H-92
Agencies
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Jan. 10, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has urged the Federal Government to jettison the idea of moving some agencies from the Ministry of Communications to Ministry of Science and Technology.
The agencies being proposed are the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone and the Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) to be moved to the Ministry of Science and Technology.
A statement on Tuesday issued by Mr Henshaw Ogubike, the Deputy Director Press, Ministry of Communications quoted the President of the society, Prof. Sola Aderounmu as making the call.
Aderounmu made the call when he led other executives in the society on a courtesy call on the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu
The Nigeria Computer Society is the umbrella body of all information technology professionals, stakeholders and various interest groups in the country.
Aderounmu expressed dissatisfaction of the society on the move to remove some agencies from the ministry of communications to science and technology.
He recalled that in 2011, the Federal Government agreed with the NCS to retain NIGCOMSAT, NITDA and Galaxy Backbone under the Ministry of Communications.
He said that the agreement was for sustained development and actualisation of ICT objectives toward diversifying Nigeria’s economy.
He said that relocating the three agencies to the ministry of science and technology would draw the nation about 15 years behind its development plan.
Aderounmu advocated for the retention of the NITDA, NIGCOMSAT, and Galaxy Backbone for better performance, networking, coordination, cooperation and collaboration in order to produce better inputs.
The society also called on the Federal Government to properly fund the ministry of communications and amend the laws governing the agencies and the ministry accordingly.
He told the minister that the society had over 20,000 memberships drawn from professionals, stakeholders and interest groups in the country.
Responding, the minister, while thanking the society for its nationalistic contributions, said that the emphasis for now was to consolidate the gains already made by the ministry and its agencies toward diversifying the economy.
Shittu appealed to all stakeholders on the need to show understanding with the government for the overall development of ICT as any other move would be counter-productive and against the standard practice the world over. (NAN)
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Edited by Grace Yussuf