Pantami Sets Targets for 6 Agencies under the Ministry of Communications
The Honourable Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has set targets for the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the parastatals under the Ministry as well as the Directors of the Ministry. He urged them to significantly improve the level of their performance to reflect the Next Level paradigm of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
He made this known during his extensive meetings with and briefings by the various CEOs, which took place over a period of 1 week at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja. The Minister assured the CEOs of the Federal Government’s support as they discharge their duties and reminded them of his commitment to sanction any parastatal that fails to step up its performance.
The CEOs were given numerous targets, amongst which are some of the following short-term targets:
Galaxy Backbone Plc:
i. To improve the reach and coverage of its services in the public sector; and
ii. To significantly improve the quality of services provided.
Nigerian Communications Commission:
i To bring to an end the issue of sales of pre-registered, unregistered and partially-registered SIM cards, especially as this can help in reducing numerous security challenges the nation faces;
ii To stem the tide of illegal deduction of the data of subscribers and work towards the downward review of the cost of data; and
iii. To ensure compliance with the maximum 2% Call Drop Rate directive to telecom operators.
Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited:
i. To significantly improve its level of visibility across the country; and
ii. To ensure great improvement in the quality of its services.
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST):
i. To ensure an appreciable improvement in the efficiency of its letter and parcel delivery service; and
ii. To increase the effective area of its coverage in the country.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA):
i. To have a greater level of focus on increasing local content development and patronage in the hardware and software sub-sectors;
ii. To strengthen the execution of its IT project clearance mandate to capture more projects by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); and
iii. To ensure the promotion and adoption of the Nigeria e-Government Interoperability Framework (Ne-GIF) by the MDAs.
Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF):
i. To ensure there is a sustainability model in place for all the projects deployed;
ii. To prepare plan to reduce the access gaps in the rural, unserved and underserved areas.
Pantami emphasized the Ministry’s roles of supervision and provision of broad policies for all the parastatals within the Ministry. He informed the CEOs that their performance would be assessed on a monthly basis. He asked them to be passionate, hardworking and ensure that they exhibit high level of integrity in the discharge of their duties. He urged them to follow due process in their activities as championed by the President and also directed them to communicate these values and targets to their staff.
The Honorable Minister encouraged synergy, unity and the forging of a harmonious inter-Agency relationship among the parastatals. He also assured them of his total commitment to ensuring that no obstacle stands in the way of the successful execution of their mandates.
Philomena O. Oshodin
