To drive several policies churned out by the executive, legislature, judiciary and other organizations media needs to be carried along. This was why the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) organised a five-day “Digital Skills in News Reportage for ICT Journalists in Abuja. AYONI M. AGBABIAKA reports on the highlights of the training.
Digital skills for all profession
The training which commenced and declared open by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) in Abuja recently had over 50 participants in attendance.
The minister in his remarks stated that the digital economy drive of the country cannot be achieved without training and retraining its citizenry on digital skills.
The Minister revealed that similar training will be conducted for people in rural areas, people living with disabilities, civil servants among other professions, in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria launched and unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the Minister, the media especially the ICT Journalists have a role to play.
“…the training for our journalists is part of the policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) through the Federal Ministry of Communications And Digital Economy, what we call “National Digital Economy for a Digital Nigeria”
“Digital Nigeria cannot be achieved without training people that will play a key role in ensuring that we achieve a digital Nigeria. Journalists have a role to play. Especially, our ICT journalists or multimedia journalists as the case may be. It is because of this that at the top of our priority you are the first to benefit from this training before we go further to other experts or profession.”
Sanctions for agencies, parastatals who failed to train its members
The minister stated that since his directive to ministries, agencies and parastatals to conduct trainings in all departments under their watch in January, only NITDA has taken the lead. He said that there was plan for possible sanctions of erring MDAs by July. However, NITDA has saved the day.
“Our position in the ministry is only to come up with policies and it is the responsibility of the parastatals to cascade the policies and implement, so we are here to witness the strategic implementation of the policy by the National Information Technology Development Agency, we hope other parastatals will do same.”
Media for good governance
He however called on media practitioners to ensure strict adherence to professionalism, fairness and integrity in their reportage for the purpose of success of democracy and good governance.
“If journalists understand their job and they do it professionally, they are at the forefront of catapulting democracy and good governance. Today journalism is no longer about print media only. Print media has played a significant role in our journalism. However, multimedia journalism is taking over the space today.
Nigeria moves to embrace online media
The minister highlighted some applications that conventional media can use to thrive in the new normal.
“We would like you to go on search engine optimization, video inclusion, audio inclusion and many more. These are the kind of training for online journalism. You are at the forefront to promote that; so that in the next few years we are going to embrace multimedia journalism throughout our country and there are many benefits of that.”
Increase in broadband penetration
The Minister noted that many digital strides have been achieved in a quest for digital Nigeria. He underscored some of the achievements recorded under his leadership such as the development National Broadband Plan 2020 – 2025, protection of telecom infrastructures, addressing the challenges of Right of Way among others.
“If you want to promote digital skills ensure that your citizens have access to broadband
“At the time I assumed office, Broadband Penetration was at 31.5%. As of today in less than a year in office, Broadband Penetration stands at 40.18%. We have achieved an almost 10% increase”, the minister said.
Possible crash of data cost
The minister stressed that following some of government interventions the ministry had initiated to improve the sector, prices of data and telecommunication services are expected to crash by 60 percent before the end of 2025.
“Before the end of 2025, we (Nigerians) will not spend more than 40 percent of what we purchase today.”
He said that it was part of the policy measures taken by the present administration to promote digital economy and improve the living standard of the citizenry.
The minister said the federal government would be putting emphasis on skill acquisition and development, rather than certificates and degrees, stressing by doing so millions of jobs would be created in all sectors of the economy.
On his part, director-general of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi Inuwa, noted that “digital skills have never bridged the gap as it is today. We have seen a lot in the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought remote everything. So, as we are set to embrace this new normal, we need to re-skill ourselves. The only way is through digital skill. We feel it is important to train you (journalists) so that you will not be left behind in our digital economy. You need to embrace digital technology to help you work professionally,” he said.
In her remarks, managing director NIGCOMSAT Dr Bimbo Alale said that, “it is not just the journalists alone, the minister had being wanting to train the populace.
“Don’t let the social media steal your job. If you have the digital skills you will be able to take that space,” she charged the journalists.
President of the National Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Mr blessing Olaifa in his goodwill message thanked the minister and the DG for reckoning with journalists as key partners to a sustainable and developmental society. He charged his members to take serious the training and not wait for retirement.
Participants at the five-day training were impressed by the quality of teaching of the resource persons, while appreciating the Mininster of Communications and the Director General of NITDA for considering them for the training.
The training programme was held at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria, Dutse, Abuja.
Highpoint of the day was presentation of ICT tools to the media practitioners.
