The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has debunked the social media report that the Nigeria Diaspora Commission ( NIDCOM ) was thrown out of the Commission’s building at Mbora, Airport
In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Henry Nkemadu on Sunday, the Commission which acknowledged making an initial offer of an apartment to the NDC in its Ambora building said it did not eject the Commission as claimed by the report but had hiccups arising from the preparation for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari in March to inaugurate the Communications and Digital Economy Complex and launch of other projects relating to the mandate of government.
Recall that a video has been making the rounds on social media alleging that the Nigeria Diaspora Commission was ignominiously thrown out of the NCC building.
According to Nkemadu, the action of NCC followed a decision taken by its Board and Management to ensure that every activity in the building was in line with the Federal Government’s digital agenda, insisting that Minister of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami could not have sent armed men to drive the staff of the Diaspora Commission out of the Communications and Digital Economy Complex as alleged by the Diaspora Commission.
The statement reads in part: “The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been drawn to a video making the rounds on social media alleging that the Nigeria Diaspora Commission was ignominiously thrown out of the NCC building.
“It is therefore important that the general public is acquiesced with what really transpired with regard to the incident leading to the evacuation of the Diaspora Commission from the NCC building.
“Following the completion of the NCC building at Mbora, Abuja designated as NCC Annex and the acute shortage of accommodation space for the staff of the Commission in the NCC Head Office at Maitama, Abuja, the Board of the Commission directed the decongestion of the Head Office Building.
“Some of the Departments of the NCC had started moving to the new Office Complex of Five (5) Floors when discussions were held between the NCC and the Diaspora Commission to enable the Diaspora Commission also utilize any free Offices within the Complex.
“The fifth floor allocated to them had to be used to accommodate other Departments from the NCC Headquarters to ease the congestion.
“NCC’s offer to house the Nigeria Diaspora Commission was predicated on the long-held position of the NCC that agencies of Government will achieve more through strategic collaboration, partnership, synergy and sharing to the extent allowed by relevant laws.
“During this period, the NCC secured approval for the Commissioning of the Office Complex by the President, and the launching of four important projects of the NCC and other projects.
“The NCC has not withdrawn the offer but had hiccups arising from the preparation for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to inaugurate the Communications and Digital Economy Complex and launch other projects relating to the mandate of government.
“As is usual in ensuring security and accountability before, during and after presidential visits, the building had to be cleared to allow for only known and identifiable persons to have access within the Complex.
“At this time, only NCC Staff were accredited to have access within these premises as required by the security officials. All the properties belonging to the Diaspora Commission are safely warehoused in some of the Offices in the Complex. This is contrary to the position of the Director-General of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa that the removal of her Commission from the building was punitive.”
While agreeing with Mrs Abike Dabiri that there are always challenges in every human activity NCC is of the view that the unforeseen.
Source:- Vanguardngr
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