The Nigeria Society of Engineers has called on the Federal Government to collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure implementation and enforcement of policies to sustain the advancement of communication and digital economy.
The NSE President, Mr Tasiu Wudil, made the appeal in a communique issued on Saturday in Abuja.
The call is one of the recommendations advanced by the society at the end of its 55th National Engineering Conference, Exhibition and Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja.
The conference, tagged “ABUJA 2022”, held from Nov. 14 to Nov. 18, 2022, with the theme “Advancing the Frontiers of Communication and Digital Economy in Nigeria”.
According to Wudil, this will sustain the advancement of communication and digital economy as well as strengthen MDAs, enforce compliance of laws and regulations, also create public awareness.
Other recommendations included the need for government to increase investment and partnership in the provision of modern communication infrastructure to enhance the sustainable growth of digital environment for efficiency.
“Strengthening the critical enablers to motivate the service providers for sustainable quality service delivery.
“Promote private sector-led and Government facilitation in the expansion and deepening rural and urban market structure integration through the deployment of digital technologies and innovations.
“There should be deliberate effort to remove the existing barriers in human and institutional capacity development within the public and private sectors to ensure synergistic operations and complementarity in communication and digital innovation.
“Government at all levels need to ensure the provision of critical enablers including energy, security, skilled labour, etc, to encourage more partnership with private sector in upgrading infrastructure and efficient service delivery,” Wudil said.
The NSE president also advocated for strengthening of Monitoring, Evaluation and Feedback Mechanisms through the collective action of regulators, operators, service providers and technical partners championed by professional bodies.
“Promote targeted empowerment programmes initiated by the MDAs and Private Sector in the communication and digital economy sector to exploit maximally opportunities available.
“Also proactive measures at all levels of Government and other stakeholders supported by effective enforcement of best practices including communication and digital technologies for flood control.”
The body of engineers also suggested that internal security matters needed to be on the Concurrent List to have inclusive participation and synergy in curbing crimes at all levels.
“To enhance coordination and efficiency in intelligence management, national security and control centre with a unified command and control, and coordination structure for proactive crisis detection, response and management.
“To achieve balanced reporting that will promote national cohesion and security, media practitioners should adhere to guidelines, codes, and standards of the media profession and perform their tasks responsibly,” Wudil said.