A team berthed to step up the awareness creation on every issue that has to do with the concept of the digital economy in every sector of the Nigerian economy has given the reason why it has become necessary to carry out a nationwide campaign to sensitize every Nigerian on digital economy.
Tagged Digital Economy Media Support Volunteers (DEMS Volunteers’), the team noted that the awareness campaign is in line with the paradigm shift, which gave rise to the renaming of the hitherto Federal Ministry of Communications to include Digital Economy by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari.
A communiqué issued by the group at the end of its maiden meeting at the weekend in Lagos and signed by the Director of Communications, Mr. Peter Oluka, recalled that the incumbent Minister, Dr Isa Ibrahim Ali (Pantami), has on many occasions highlighted why this paradigm shift is imperative for the Nigerian economy, especially in galvanising the economy and prepare the young people for the knowledge economy.
“Accordingly”, Mr. Oluka said, “taking inspiration from that move, we are launching DEMS Volunteers’ to step up awareness and deepening of knowledge in every issue that has to do with the concept of digital economy IN ALL SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY with the aim of encouraging both public and private sectors to adopt policies and practices of the emerging knowledge economy.”
“This year, our activities will include reaching out to key players in MDAs, banking industry, oil and gas, telecoms, transportation, trading, service sector, hospitality and health, education, agriculture, manufacturing and others with facts and figures on the gains of aligning their operations with the global trends in digital economy so as to keep the Nigerian economy competitive above its peers. Seminars, book launches, conferences and quarterly workshops will be part of DEMS Volunteers’ strategies in the course of our nationwide activities.
“The board also agreed that in the course of our 2020 activities, DEMS Volunteers’ will encourage intending partners and membership beyond the media to include professionals in public finance, oil and gas, telecoms, academia, manufacturing and other strategic sectors as part of efforts to deepen awareness in the adoption of digital economy in Nigeria.
The communiqué also announced appointments into the leadership of the DEMS Volunteers’ as follows: Prince Stan Okenwa, Director General, and South-East Coordinator; Martin Ekpeke, Director of Administration and South-South Coordinator; Alhaji Yushau Shuaib, Director, Northern Operations, Alhaji Jaafar Jaafar as Deputy; Wale Oguntokun, Director, Western Operations and Peter Oluka, Director of Communications.
In his remarks at the end of the inaugural meeting, DEMS Volunteers’ DG, Prince Okenwa called on MDAs, professionals and corporate citizens “to open their doors to welcome DEMS Volunteers’ as partners in the Nigerian projects with supports and operational ideas in the interest of the nation’s march to the knowledge economy.