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By Ngozi Onyeakusi—Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said the media remains an indispensable partner in information dissemination to the diverse stakeholders of the telecom industry, hence, has earned the respect of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Danbatta, who spoke on Monday at the NCC Head Office in Abuja while playing host to the Management of Media Trust Group, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Mounir Haliru Gwarzo, said the Commission will continue to seek ways to expand its collaboration with the media as critical stakeholders.

Danbatta expressed satisfaction at the rate media organizations are adopting digitization and contributing through awareness and adoption of digital culture while assuring that NCC will strengthen its existing cordial relations with the media and its propagation of the notion of “instant society” where delivery of information is at great speed.

“We will expand the relationship with the media to leverage new and exciting opportunities. We count on every important interface that the media provides for the NCC. We wouldn’t have been able to do this job and succeed without the support of the media. We always use the media to provide information to the public because you have what it takes to reach out. We don’t have that reach. So, we appreciate the very important work that the media is doing.

“The media organizations are at the forefront of providing information about where to find the knowledge. When you read the media, you come across instances of references as to where knowledge can be accessed and used for different purposes,” he said.

Danbatta assured the Daily Trust Group, owners of Daily Trust Newspapers, Trust TV and Aminiya, a multimedia digital platform, that the Commission reckons with the credibility of the Group, and that their ingenious performance is seen in the ways the media entity has diversified service delivery.

He explained that the Commission prioritizes consumer engagement at the grassroots, which, he said, has made it to initiate outreach programmes delivered in indigenous languages to bring information to the doorsteps of consumers.

Leader of the Trust Group delegation, Gwarzo, said the visit was prompted by the need to commend the Commission on its sterling accomplishments and assured that Media Trust, through its publications, is ready to strengthen its relationship with the Commission as part of its support for the digital economy agenda of government.

He also applauded NCC’s achievements, including the successful rollout of Fifth Generation (5G) services while explaining that the technology will also bolster the type of speed required for simultaneous multi-location printing of the that Daily Trust newspapers across its operations in several parts of the country.

Gwarzo was accompanied to NCC by many staff of the Media Trust Group, including Group Executive Director Finance and Corporate Services, Nura Mamma Daura; Chief Operating Officer, Trust Television, Ibrahim Shehu Adamu; Head, Business Development, Naomi Adaghebalu Esezobor; and Benjamin Hon, Head, Market Research and Intelligence.