The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has called on Nigerian journalists to exploit the prevalent digital revolution in the country by embracing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve their communication skills in order to reach wider audience.
The Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwa gave the charge when presenting 10 sets of computers and printers to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) South East Zone in Enugu.
Represented by the Director Public Affairs Mr. Tony Ojobo, who was accompanied by the Head, Public Relations of NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, Juwa said that Nigeria is currently witnessing telecom revolution as one of the fastest growing telecom market in the world.
Ojobo said: “As you are aware, the NCC is the regulatory agency for ICT in Nigeria and of course we have been at the forefront of access as the telecom revolution that has taken place in Nigeria today. You may recall that as at January 2001, Nigeria had only 450, 000 lines. And of course some analogue mobile phones, about 20, 000 of them.
“As at today, we have a tele-density of about 92.1 percent (92 out of 100 persons have access to mobile phone); we have about 170 million connected lines and about 125 million active lines in the network today.
“Now, that is a revolution and that has changed the way we live in this country today. In addition to that, on the internet, you have about 63.4 million Nigerians having access to the internet.
“So we are in the era of digital revolution, we are in era where knowledge is key, and that is why the Commission has been supporting this kind of virtues. We believe that these facilities will be well utilized by the South East NUJ.”
Earlier, the Vice President of NUJ, South East zone (Zone C), Comrade Chris Isiguzo expressed gratitude to NCCz, noting that the facilities would be distributed to NUJ in the five states that make up the zone to enhance their access to internet and smoothen their operation generally.
“Every day we are at the café doing one thing or the other. I think there is need for us to have a mini café sort of in all the councils in the South East, Zone C. And as God may have it, the NCC with the very good support of this team that is here, led by Mr. Ojobo himself and our own colleague, Muoka, NCC granted our application and that is what we have come today to celebrate; just to buttress their commitment to partnering with NUJ zone C and that includes Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and of course the headquarters of the zone, Enugu,” he said.
