FG expresses commitment to promoting e-Paper Vendor – Shittu

Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communication, says the Federal Government is highly committed to supporting and promoting creative ideas and products like the e-Paper Vendor.

The minister said this in his address at the formal launch of the e-Paper Vendor, a PDF newspaper services by the “Be Better Centre” on Thursday in Abuja.

Our correspondent that “Be Better Centre” is an organisation that provides e-paper newspaper online, the leading provider of PDF newspaper.

Shittu said that the ministry had four critical mandates, which it was fanatical and frantically making efforts to ensure its viability.

“To facilitate universal, ubiquitous and cost effective access to communication infrastructure throughout the country; to also promote the utilisation of ICT in all spheres of life to optimise the communication infrastructure.

“Thirdly, to promote and facilitate the development of ICT industry and increase the contribution of ICT industry to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

“Lastly, to utilise ICT to drive transparency in government and improve the quality and cost effectiveness of public sector delivery in the country,’’ the minister said.

He congratulated Mr Anthony Oni, the Executive Director of ‘Be Better Centre’ and his team for working tirelessly to ensure that the project became a reality.

He added that the e-paper vendor had contributed significantly in helping the ministry to achieve its four-point mandates.

“The PDF Newspaper supports our mandate to ensure that ICT is used as a vehicle of change to enhance the quality and cost-effectiveness of public service delivery in the country.

“The service allows MDAs to purchase newspapers at significant cost saving over 80 per cent off the price of physical newspapers.

“It also promoted the utilisation of technology and help us earn foreign exchange from newspaper readers abroad, who can now access Nigerian newspaper in digital form,’’ Shittu said.

It was reported that Shittu was represented at the launch by his Special Assistant on Digital Media and Communication, Mr Akim Yusuf.

Meanwhile, Oni stressed that the services include the provision of newspaper in digital form where a subscriber can read a complete newspaper for N50 a day.

“There is also digital archive, where readers can access past newspapers on the platform; papers are sent to subscribers via email.

“With this e-paper vendor, we are not putting the street vendor out of business because there are e-paper vendors too who sell to interested readers.

“Our sites are secured and protected against cyber crime,’’ he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Amb. Danjuma Sheni, represented by Mrs Hope Oforah, the Head of Languages Bureau and Interpretation of the ministry, said the e-paper was coming at the right time.

She said that hard copies of newspapers normally accumulate to a level of occupying too much space in the house.

“It makes the house untidy; I says kudos to the initiator of the e-paper vendor because this will go a long way to eliminate the burden of keeping bunch of newspaper at home.’’

Similarly, the Managing Director, Nigerian Port Authority, Hajiya Hadiza Usman, represented by Assistant Manager of Public Affairs of the organisation, Mrs Hadiza Umar said launching the e-paper vendor would bring relief to Nigerians.

“The first time I heard about it, I said this is what we have been looking for, but my fear is the fate of the local vendor.

“Every day I wake up, I crack my brain on how Nigeria can move forward; I am concerned about unemployment; let’s see how we can bring in local vendor to fit into this project.

“This is because they have to also put food on the table for their families; let us join hands to help the local vendors,’’ Usman stressed.