The Director General of Gavel Institute of Parliamentary Studies (GIPS), Comrade Fatai Jimoh has expressed delight at the objective manner with which the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security conducted its rescheduled public hearing on a Bill for an Act to repeal and re-enact National Information Technology Development Agency (NITD) Act, 2007.
Jimoh said that “the public hearing actually shows that the lawmakers respect the views of the citizens, end users, in the discharge of her legislative mandate. On that note, the Institute commended the committee and appeal to other committees in the National Assembly to emulate it accordingly”.
The institute has also canvassed support from all principal stakeholders for the committee, led by Senator Yakubu Oseni, to assist it in “preventing duplicity of jurisdictions; functions; and overlapping”.
According to the statement, the institute “supported the committee by toeing the popular opinion expressed at the rescheduled public hearing that NITDA should be strengthened and encouraged to improve on its fundamental responsibility of research, development and regulating IT while, NCC (Nigerian Communications Commission) is further empowered to efficiently and effectively continue its statutory exclusive regulation of telecommunications sector in Nigeria in the interest of the public.
“It is important to place it on record that the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security proved itself a worthwhile ambassador of the Nigeria populace when it observed with keen interest that it will not in any way over burden Nigerians with multiple taxations and increase the suffering of Nigerians by supporting any law that makes it possible to brake into people business premises without the input of the judiciary”.
The statement stated that the committee further demonstrated “vivid understanding of the required direct foreign investment by its un-willingness to promote any Bill that stifles foreign direct investment in the country.
“Consequently, the Director General of GIPS salutes the distinguished Senators and Honourable members at the rescheduled public Hearing for their courage in promoting the general interest of Nigerians in the face of obvious odds and temptations”.
Jimoh that the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and other government functionaries and stakeholders for the “overall maturity displayed by everyone at the rescheduled public hearing.”
