A fresh report has revealed how the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, allegedly bribed the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and some Federal Lawmakers.
According to Sahara Reporters, Pantami sponsored Malami and some Lawmakers on a trip to Turkey to have his way around a controversial ICT bill.
Sources revealed that the new ICT bill aims to repeal the National Information Technology Development Agency Act, no 28 2007.
The source added that the controversial bill aims to regulate the information technology sector. It highlights heavy penalties for offenders ranging from three million naira for individual offenders to thirty million naira for corporate offenders.
The Minister had reportedly bribed top officials of the National Information Technology Development Agency with the journey to get their support for the bill.
Meanwhile, the AGF reportedly visited the hospital to treat an undisclosed ailment during the trip sponsored by Isa Pantami in Turkey.
The Lawmakers on the foreign trip include the chairmen and members of both Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Information Communication Technology and Cybercrime.
Meanwhile, when signed into law, the new bill will protect the Agency and employees from legal suits.
Isa Pantami
You will recall that The Republic of Korea reportedly signed a $13 million contract with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy under Pantami.
Korea signed the new deal worth over five billion naira through the Korea International Cooperation Agency Office. The agreement seeks to boost e-government enlargement and proliferation access in the National Identification Number, NIN enrollment.
According to the Agency, the new deal would help implement the Project for Building Foundations Towards Digital Governance in Nigeria between 2020 to 2026.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency revealed that the project would also enhance capacity to execute critical initiatives of the National eGovernment Master Plan and improve competencies for e-government service delivery.
It would also expand the delivery of government digital services and create increased access for NIN enrolment by establishing additional NIN enrolment centres in Nigeria.
Pantami, who spoke during the event, noted that Korea’s aid disbursement for e-government remained the highest in Nigeria. The Nigerian government extended the deadline for NIN linkage to SIM data to October 31, 2021, to allow more Nigerians to participate in the exercise.
