By Clifford Agugoesi, Editor-in-Chief

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy(FMoCDE), Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has apologized to stakeholders for his inability to be physically present at the ICT Industry Stakeholders’ Forum, built for the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, south west, Nigeria, on July 8, 2021, even as he commended the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nonye Nwachukwu for her diligence.

Although designed as a hybrid event, Pantami said he planned to make it physically to the forum but could not and promised to make up for this in subsequent programme soon.  “…To me, it is better to do it virtually than postpone it just because I could not travel to Lagos.  So because of this, I want to tender my apologies to all our stakeholders in Lagos for my inability to be with them physically and I do hope that soon, we will get another chance that I will come to Lagos to meet with stakeholders either under the same programme or any other programme and my decision to participate virtually will not cancel my interest to be with you physically,” stated Pantami.

The Minister praised the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr. (Mrs.) Nonye Nwachukwu for holding forth diligently.  “I  want to use this opportunity to  thank my colleague the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Nwachukwu for coordinating this stakeholders’ forum on our behalf.  Her efforts are highly commendable and I personally appreciate them. She is on acting capacity, but she has been very active day in day out to make sure that the activities of the Ministry are coordinated effectively.  So, my sister, thank you very much, once again!”

Before being tapped to step into the Permanent Secretary’s shoes with the exit of the former occupant, Festus Yusuf Daudu, a fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, who turned 60 on Sunday May 2, 2021, Dr. Nwachukwu was the Director, Planning, Research & Statistics in the Ministry.

In her welcome address on the occasion graced by industry stakeholders and heads of agencies and parastatals under the FMoCDE, in person or by proxy physically and or virtually, Dr. Nwachukwu prayed that Digital Economy took over the National Economy.

-With Additional reporting from Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Correspondent Lagos