Pantami Justifies Change of Communication Ministry’s Name at NIPR Conference
The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, has disclosed that the decision to change the name of the Federal Ministry of Communication is part of Federal Government (FG’s) drive to make the country a renowned force in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He made this known during the 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference, organized by the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), themed, “The Leadership Question: Search for the 21st Century Leaders”.
Pantami, pointed out that with an effective ICT industry, Nigeria stands to become the hub of digitalization in Africa in no distant future.
The Communication Minister, while speaking further, commended the FCT chapter of NIPR, for not only highlighting the challenges, but also proffering solutions to the issue of leadership failure bedeviling the country.
While stressing that effective, purposeful and service-oriented leadership is key to fast-tracking speedy and enduring socio-economic development, Pantami said: “Apart from being apt, the topic is also very relevant for national discuss. Leadership failure is one of the topics we need to dispassionately discuss. And that is if we want to address the myriads of challenges bedeviling us a nation.
“Today in Nigeria, we look at things from sentimental perspectives. Sentiment is one of the reason people do not regard competence in leadership roles. Rather, they consider personal interest, geographical locations, religion, tribe or ethnicity, which are not the fundamental criteria at any point in time.”
FCT Minister, Musa Bello, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Bashir Mai Borno, noted that if Nigerians can answer the leadership deficit question, most of the problems bedeviling the nation would have been solved.
“There is need for us to re-engineer the process of good, dedicated and exemplary leadership in the country. NIPR, as a professional body which nurture and groom young professionals, has a crucial role to play in answering the leadership question,” he said.
Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya, explained that NIPR, as a committed and pacesetting Institute, has being in the forefront of modelling the image of the country, both locally and internationally.
Yahaya said: “The topic of discussion is very germane to the ongoing national conversations about where our country is headed. This will help us address the enormous damages that poor leadership has caused to this nation. It is imperative to state that poverty, food insecurity, corruption, and social inequality, among others are all bye-products of leadership failure, misgovernance and maladministration.”
“However, it is even more fitting that communication and information management professionals like you have gathered here to provide insights on the type of leadership the country needs to address its huge economic problems”.
By PRNigeria
