Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Dambatta has described the social media as a platform for constructive engagements by Nigerian citizens, not a launch-pad for destructive and sinister purposes.
He said the commission has earmarked N500 million as social intervention fund in the year 2020 in the quest to serve humanity in all spheres of human interest, positing that the fund was meant to be used in providing social amenities like water in form of borehole drilling and other amenities.
Speaking at the Kano Social Influencers Summit 2019, organised by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) held at Mambayya House in Kano Tuesday, Dambatta said social media has brought about new ideas and innovations in the way information is disseminated to the public, adding that Nigerian citizens were at liberty to exploit the opportunities it has provided.
He said the time had come for social media users to consider their role as agents of change in a democratic setting, using the internet to inform the citizens on what is happening on ground, affirming that with the digital age holding sway at all levels, nothing can be done without the social media contributing.
He pointed out that no one could be safe and secure when practitioners of the social media fail to live up to their billing, regarding what is appropriate to keep Nigeria as one indivisible entity devoid of trouble.
He however stated that using social media platform as a leeway for destructive and sinister purposes could only spell doom for the nation and that the craze for constructive engagements could only be realistic when practitioners of the system become resolute and considerate in all their dealings.
Speaking in the vein, the Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development, Dr. Yunusa Zakari Y’au said people need to learn what they can do with the social media which they need to know beyond connecting to friends and associates.
