*Photo: Dr Ibietan*
I have been busy, quite intensively, for days, upskilling my knowledge of telecoms somewhere, beyond our shores. Then, the message came from my boss, Reuben Muoka, NCC’s Director Public Affairs: “How are you Niyi? You must have been informed about the changes…” and he proceeded in the next paragraph to assign a task to be carried out immediately.
That’s the nature of some of the schedules in NCC’s Public Affairs Department (PAD), where certain responsibilities demand you work round the clock and beyond the call to duty. The typical media newsroom is often described as a ‘madhouse’ when it’s time for news production, although the intersection of ICTs and news production has helped to make the newsroom less maddening, proactive and visionary agencies are every so often made to think on their feet.
Anyway, going by the changes, I have migrated from being Head of Online Media to Head, Media Relations Management. In that capacity, my duties transcend overseeing issues related to online publishers and bloggers etc. I now have concurrent duty to coordinate the print and broadcast media, including support and events management services, press conferences, trainings and interviews, as well as hosting media executives.
The team I lead will also prepare speeches, releases and statements as well as editorials, features, opinions and ensure their syndication. Engaging key media actors, interest groups and consumers is now in my purview. So, is media intelligence, strategic positioning, crisis management and quality assurance of media materials.
Within the PAD operational architecture, my group will also handle print advertisements, designs, public notices and subscriptions, as well as media space buying across messaging platforms and undertake liaisons with advert agencies and media consultants.
The list is long and possibly protean. However, our overarching duty is to promote and improve the image and visibility of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). We are to accomplish this within the context of Federal Government’s vision to enthrone a robust regime of a flourishing digital culture through the provision of universal telecom service that is not just ubiquitous in terms of available but also accessible and affordable.
We have roadmaps that found expressions in enabling laws such as the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, policies, guidelines, regulations, directions and quite centrally, strategic documents, notably the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), the NCC Strategic Management Plan (2020-2024), and the Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (2020-2025), otherwise called SVP 2 or 5-Point Agenda. The SVP is NCC’s intentional and focused attempt to streamline the essentials of sectoral policies and plans for concrete implementation with speed and precision. The responsibility is huge but achievable.
Therefore, I beseech and trust The Almighty God, who chooses and qualifies the chosen, to arm me with every resource I and my team requires to succeed. I equally covet the support of my friends in this space and beyond, as my team hits the ground running to justify the confidence reposed in us by our bosses and by implication the Government and People of Nigeria.
