Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),received two awards namely, the Regulator of the year Award for 2021 as well as the Public Official of the Decade award which went to the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), Prof. Umar Danbatta.
The awards, issued by Nigerian NewsDirect, a multimedia firm, was presented just two days ago at an impressive event at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, organised by the firm to commemorate its 11th Anniversary.
The combined awards, issued after a public lecture, titled, Public Sector Financing: The Oil Revenue, Challenges, Solutions and Prospects, showed the significance of telecom sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy. Noteworthy is telecoms’ 12.45 per cent contribution to the nation’s GDP in 2020.
The anniversary lecture delivered by Dapo Okubadejo, Ogun State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governo, harped on ways to tackle the challenges of the nation’s dependence on oil revenues for public sector financing.
The paper also proffered solutions to better public sector financing from the context refocusing on the opportunities and prospects inherent in the oil sector but particularly in other sectors.
NCC’s Director Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who received the awards on behalf of the Commission and the EVC/CEO. Adinde, said the Commission will rededicate itself towards demonstrating its worthiness of the public trust and confidence reposed in it as an agency central to the diversification of the nation’s economy.
Many individuals (including Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Elumelu Foundation; and Ken Nnamani, President of ATCON); corporate organisations (including Ecobank, Chevron, and Polaris Bank); and State Governments (including Osun, Ogun and Benue) received various categories of awards.