MDadmin
PROTOCOL:
I have great pleasure to address the opening ceremony of the 2016 Training Workshop, for the Monitoring Officers of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC. For most of our colleagues outside of the Headquarters in Abuja, this will be the first opportunity for them and I to meet each other since my appointment on May 24th, 2016. The opportunity that this gathering offered to meet so many of you, was one that I could not miss. In time, I will commence a tour of all our zonal and state offices. That should offer me the opportunity to see at close quarter the work environment and the difficulties that face our staff. I look forwards to that experience of a close encounter with all of you, in your different locations.
The focus of this year’s training is Broadcast Content Monitoring/Regulation in the Digital Era. That is a most appropriate theme to explore, in the context that we are entering today, in the world of broadcasting. Our work as broadcast regulators and content monitors will take a qualitatively new dimension, especially with the DSO, that Nigeria is expected to conclude in less than a year from now, in June 2017!
There are many pertinent questions associated with the new and potentially exciting phase of digital transition and the oncoming digital economy. But closer home, is the challenge that will face us as content monitors, when there will be a surfeit of radio and television content providers, all over Nigeria. It is clearer to me, that we cannot do our work with effectiveness, in the old ways. Surely, there must be an evolution of technology, appropriate to the new phase. Similarly, the content monitor must have a more effective appreciation of the challenges of the new era of digital broadcasting. You cannot do things in the old ways, yet, you must first start from the old ways of learning to be effective as well as become professionally committed to your duty. Sadly, the old crop of professionals in the field are retiring and therefore, there’s a gap that will become ever more yawning, unless we rev up our training procedures. It is therefore a thing of joy, to note that your gathering this year in Ilorin, is the FIRST professional on-the-job training for many Monitoring Officers on digitization. This is especially true for those recruited in 2015 and 2016! Secondly, I’m glad that about 300 officers are enrolled for this year’s training; of these, 263 are Monitoring Officers, while the rest are from other Directorates and Departments.
I am particularly happy, that we are thinking in terms of cross departmental training, and collaborative efforts, that bring our workers together. That is how we should work, moving forwards. That way, we can build a more effective NBC, and help to spread knowledge in an all round manner, for the challenge of building the National Broadcasting Commission into the best regulatory institution in Africa! Let me add, that my remit from President Muhammadu Buhari when I was appointed the Director-General, is to turn the NBC precisely into that: the BEST in Africa, and one of the best regulatory institutions in the world! It is work like this, that can provide the building blocks for that ambitious endeavour!
It is also heartwarming, to note, that our gathering here intends to further enhance competence, that will match the challenges of the digital era. It is also providing the rare opportunity of providing a platform to exchange ideas between current and past NBC regulators. I think we are very lucky, to get the opportunity to hear from the star-studded line up of individuals we have brought together to give us a bit of their experience, that helped to build the NBC to where it is today. Please take very seriously, every single idea they share with you here. You will need them as we move forwards into the digital era. And it is quite instructive, that the gathering also has the intention to help us take time outside of our busy schedules to afford us the opportunity to reflect. When we take time away from the daily drudgery of the workplace, we can sometimes get newer inspirations to do our work in a better way; or we become better refreshed to launch a better assault on the problems of the work place. For that purpose, you have chosen the right location: the beautiful city of Ilorin. Many of you might know that this is my hometown. This is a city that gave me life and cultured me; and it is a city that I love with a passionate intensity. I hope the few days that you would stay here, would also afford you the opportunity to catch a whiff of the hospitality of the people of Ilorin, and of Kwara State! I can assure you, that you’d fall in love with our city and won’t like to go back to your various destinations after your training!
It is therefore my pleasure to declared the 2016 Monitoring Conference open. I wish you very fruitful deliberations. Thank you very much for your attention.
Is’haq Modibbo Kawu
DG
