New global appointment a win for Africa – Pantami

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has described his appointment as the Chairman of World Summit on Information Societies Forum (WSIS) as a win not just for Nigeria, but the African continent as a whole.

Pantami stated this on Monday at a meeting with the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Mr Houlin Zhou, at the union’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

• Imo traders defy IPOB’s sit-at-home, open stores
• AfDB will continue to make Africa proud – Akinwunmi

The minister was recently appointed as forum chairman for this year’s summit and is to retain the position for a year.

He said, “We are very pleased about the recognition accorded us based on our modest achievements within the sector particularly on our continent and by extension, we consider the appointment not as a personal or national recognition but as a continental achievement.”

According to a statement by his spokesperson, Uwa Suleiman, the minister said this is because Nigeria is strategically the leader of the continent, the most populous country in Africa with the biggest and the largest economy on the continent among other things.

“So occupying this position as the giant of Africa is an honour for Africa and an opportunity for us to continue to contribute our quota to the success of our sector globally. We assure you that we will give the maximum attention it requires,” Pantami emphasised.