Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, says that an Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) has been approved by the federal government for Zamfara State to support the fight against bandits in the state.
The minister spoke yesterday when he received the Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Muhammad Bello Matawalle, in his office in Abuja.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Uwa Suleiman, the minister said, “An Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) has been approved for Zamfara State and we will ensure that it is deployed and fully operational in the next few months. This facility will in no small measure aid the fight against the challenges of insecurity and will also create jobs in the state.”
Bandits and terrorists have besieged Zamfara state in recent times, killing, maiming and kidnapping for ransom.
In his response, Matawalle said the impact of the digital economy was yielding positive results in his state as the minister had bridged the access gaps in several communities that lacked telecommunications services.
“We are here today to express our profound gratitude to the minister for his speedy intervention in ensuring that mobile network operators established their presence and services in areas where they did not previously exist in the state and, the establishment of ICT centres in various schools in Zamfara which is encouraging digital skills and engaging the youths positively,” the governor said.
He commended Pantami for the speedy response to the request and urged him to consider the establishment of more centres to engage more youths.
