The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani has emphasised that the ministry’s step-down agenda on the eight key priorities of the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration must aim for full implementation and drive positive change in society.
The minister stated this during a two-day capacity building event for top management staff of the ministry, the Ministerial Delivery Task Team and heads of agencies, held in Keffi, Nasarawa State. The event was themed “Step Down Retreat for the Ministry and its Agencies Top Management Staff and Ministerial Delivery Task Team on Presidential Deliverables.”
“We are blessed with a unique President with clarity to take the nation in the right direction at this critical time,” Tijani noted. He stressed that aligning the ministerial deliverables with presidential deliverables, through the policy document of the Strategic Blueprint, is essential for mainstreaming key technology to support the government’s agenda, similar to the social investment programme.
“Without technology, it will be difficult to identify the vulnerable in society with special needs,” he emphasised. Tijani believes that the ministry’s position allows for a positive transformation of the economy through digital skills and their application in education, agriculture, health and other sectors.
Expressing his excitement about the ‘Step Down’ retreat, the minister highlighted its timeliness and importance in building capacity, enabling the ministry and its agencies to understand their responsibilities better and deliver on those deliverables, in alignment with the presidential deliverables. He noted that the challenge facing the country is not a lack of vision or ideas but ensuring that innovation reaches every member of the government and society.
“Truly, our ‘Step Down’ agenda should ensure that everything we do drives the change we all want to see in society. If this is not our focus, it will be difficult to contribute to making Nigeria a better place for all,” he added.
In his opening remarks, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Engr. Faruk Yabo outlined the ministry’s strategic blueprint, which has five pillars: knowledge/talent, policy, infrastructure, entrepreneurship/innovation/capital and trade, all strategically connected to national and global visions. He emphasised the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, particularly the eight priorities of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at repositioning the economy for the greater good of all Nigerians.
Faruk highlighted the performance management system, a new government policy on digitalisation, which the president will track to see what stakeholders in the digital sector have achieved based on the presidential deliverables. He stated that the strategic blueprint, along with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025, aims to ensure Nigeria’s systems are on par with global standards.
He called on stakeholders to create an environment conducive to the digitalisation of the economy across sectors to achieve the administration’s set objectives. Faruk assured participants that experts would provide insights into the fundamentals of what the president intends for the ministry and its agencies, aligning with strategic policies that benefit Nigerians based on his campaign promises.
The managing director of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Adepoju called for the proper calibration of the template to ensure a justified way of scoring. A statement by the ministry’s head of press and public relations unit, Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba noted that the retreat included officials from the central delivery coordination unit (CDCU) and the Head of Service, who facilitated the technical sessions.
The high point of the retreat was the signing of a performance bond between the minister and the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, along with its heads of agencies. This will cascade down to directors and heads of units. Participants were drawn from the ministry and its agencies.
This retreat underscores the ministry’s commitment to driving positive change through effective implementation of the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, ensuring that technology and innovation are at the forefront of Nigeria’s development.
