FG Moves To Protect Children In Digital Environment

In a bid to protect children in today’s varied digital world, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the National Child Online Protection Policy and Strategy.
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Malam Isah Pantami, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen at the end of the Cabinet Meeting in Abuja last Wednesday.
Pantami said the policy was in line with the International Telecommunication Union’s policy document for all its member countries and aimed at protecting children from the harmful side of the digital environment.
“There are many benefits of going online; the world population reached 10 billion on November 15, 2022.
“Today, we have around 6.3 billion people online and by implication, among this number, you will discover many children.
“They will not be able to differentiate what is beneficial and what is harmful.
“According to a report by the International Telecommunication Union, more than one billion children were online during COVID-19 lockdowns for their studies because schools were shut.
“Today, without any solicitation, you will discover that many things are coming into your device on-line and unsolicited,’’ the Minister said.
Pantami said children would not beable to avoid such unsolicited items online which would definitely affect their innocence  morally and otherwise.
“The document has been titled: `keeping children safe in the digital environment’.
“All member countries have been urged to ensure they come up with a policy where children will be protected.
“It is because of this that we organised stakeholder engagement, where we invited around 37 institutions of government since it is multi-sector issue.
“The Ministry of Information and Culture, the National Broadcasting Commission and the National Orientation Agency, among others, have roles to play.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser and other security agencies have roles to play; the Ministry of Justice has a role to play to differentiate what is legal and what is illegal,’’ Pantami added.
He said the cabinet also approved the Nigeria Data Protection Bill to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of data being submitted to government and to other institutions.
The Minister said FEC also approved the National Duct One Policy aimed at institutionalising the provision of ducts during construction at federal, state a local government levels.
“This is the global best practice today.
“Before construction and even during the conceptualisation and design, there should be provision for ducts for road construction, bridges, rail lines, sea ports, and any important building,’’ Pantami said.