The director general, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Benjamin Dikki has said that the emergence of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP is another eloquent testimony of the successful reform of the telecommunication sector.
Nikki who stated this in his goodwill message delivered at the official launch of GOCOP, an association of online publishers established by crop of seasoned journalists with over 20 years career in the journalism profession.
The BPE DG recalled that the improved telephony which the nation is presently enjoying is a result of such reforms in the sector which produced the Telecom Policy and Legal/Regulatory framework which the NCP/BPE championed in 2000.
He said that through the reforms carried out in the telecommunications sector, Nigeria has moved from about 400,000 telephone lines in 2001 to about 134 million lines in 2015; and the teledensity has increased from estimated 2.5% to 95 percent in a space of 12 years.
He expressed optimism that the same multiplier effect is expected when the reforms in other sectors of the economy by the federal government are completed.
He congratulated the executives and members of GOCOP for the initiative to launch the association, which he said could not have come at a better time than now, “given that the world over, online publication has become the vogue; and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind.
“That is why we commend your bold initiative to inaugurate the Guild which undoubtedly, is made up of reputable media practitioners with several years of experience with the primary objective of ensuring that online publishers in Nigeria uphold the tenets of journalism and to serve as a platform for peer review.”
“On behalf of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), I feel greatly honoured to be invited as a special guest at the formal launch of your esteemed association—the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
“For strategic reasons, the Bureau has considered the press as one of its most critical stakeholders in the implementation of economic reforms and the privatization and commercialization program of the Federal Government.
“This is why this invitation by your association underscores the trust of our fruitful cooperation, and brings to the fore, the remarkable achievements recorded through our collaboration over time,” Dikki said.
The BPE DG stressed that the Bureau is the secretariat and the policy implementation arm of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) chaired the Vice Presidency.
Nikki noted that in over three decades, reform and privatization have been a key economic policy of successive administrations/regards in Nigeria.
“As a result of the reforms, privatisation and commercialization, Nigeria has witnessed tremendous inflow of foreign direct investments in various sectors of the Nigeria economy.
“It is worthy to note that the advent of democratic governance since 1999, strong foundation were laid for economic reform and attraction of private capital to the national economy.
He said that the first key foundation was the inauguration of the National Council of Privatization; made up of key ministers and critical private sector players in the economy.
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