Telecommunication Day: Shittu harps on need to bridge standardisation gap in ICT

Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, on Friday in Abuja, stressed the need for the county to bridge the standardisation gap in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

The minister said this on the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) celebrated annually on May 17 to raise awareness on telecom and information gap among societies.

The them of this year’s celebration is “Bridging the Standardisation Gap.”

Represented by Mr Kilyobas Binga, the Director, Radio Monitoring and Survey, Ministry of Communications, Shittu said that the essence of the call was to ensure that the country experienced economic benefits of associated technological developments.

According to him, the purpose of the WTISD is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of internet and other ICTs can bring development to societies and economies, as well as bridge the digital divide.

The minister emphasised that setting standards was a fundamental pillar of Information Technology Union’s (ITUs) mission as specialised agency of the United Nations for ICT.

He added that “ITU standards accelerate ICTs for all Sustainable Development Goals.

“As a digital immigrant, whether you want to connect to the internet, enjoy sports event on television, listen to radio in your car or watch a video on your smartphone, ITU standards make it possible seamlessly, given the ubiquitous mobile broadband.

“It is on this basis that I want to join the ITU body in calling on member states, industry members, small and big companies and academia, together with UN sister agencies, all stakeholders to support the bridging of standardisation gap programme for the prosperity of all.

“Ministry of Communications is committed to policies to enable citizens, businesses and societies to prosper, while mitigating the adverse effects that can accompany economic change.

“These, we are sure, will encourage investments and promote development of digital economies, while building inclusive digital future for citizens.”

Celebrated since 1969, World Telecommunication Day is also to mark the founding of the International Telecommunication Union.