The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has met with leading stakeholders and crème de la crème of Kannywood film industry in Kano State.
Speaking at the meeting, he called for deeper stakeholder engagement toward consumer education and empowerment agenda which the agency is driving amongst industrial sectors.
Danbatta further urged Kannywood operators to complement President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda by churning out films, which messages target positive attitudinal and transformational change in the country.
At the meeting he had with the industry stakeholders at Bristol Palace Hotel, Kano, the NCC boss who hailed the Kannywood industry for coming of age, observed that the commission appreciated the critical role the artists play in reaching out to the target audience and hence the choice of popular actor, Ali Nuhu, and Helen Paul, from Nollywood, as the “faces” of its Year of the Consumer Campaign.
According to him, “We deliberately made them our ambassadors. And we know that Ali Nuhu is your ambassador, too, as he represents you. So this Commission has always explored synergies like this, in line with our critical stakeholder engagement agenda.”
While urging them to spread the message of consumer protection tools of the Commission including 2442 Do-not-Disturb short code and 622 toll free line, Danbatta told the group that close 12 million people have activated the the 2442 short code from less than 500, 000 before the commencement of the Year of the Consumer campaign.
The NCC boss who enjoined the artists to be in the vanguard of supports for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, by producing more films on moral suasion, noted that films are not only known for entertainment but the lessons they teach.
Continuing, Prof Danbatta added that “We currently have a transformational leadership in the country. But we also need to change our attitude to work and every engagement we are involved. In this regard, you have a huge role to play”.
