By Emma Elebeke

Ahead of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference coming up in Geneva, Switzerland, the Minister of Communications  Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson has called on all ECOWAS member States and beyond, in the broadcast and spectrum management sectors to come up with common positions for the interest of Africa.

The minister gave the charge, Monday at the opening ceremony of a five day forum for ECOWAS digital switchover, organized by the Nigerians Communications Commission, NCC,  in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, CT ministry and Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC in Abuja.

The forum was tagged “ECOWAS Digital Switchover Forum and First Preparatory Meeting towards World Radiocommunication Conference 2015, WRC-15”.

The minister said that the meeting was crucial to enable ECOWAS member States to develop strategies on how to meet up with International Telecommunications Union, ITU deadline on switching from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2015.

She noted that the Nigerian administration in her determination to meet up with the ITU deadline, has set up an implementation team, called Digiteam, to implement the outcome of several consultations and deliberations of stakeholders.

The World Radiocommunication Conference, WRC is the apex of ITU that reviews and updates the radio regulation every four years on the basis of studies carried out within the four year study circle, as well as contributions from member states and regional bodies.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah said the forum was aimed at actualizing ECOWS policy of promoting integration across the region and to provide an avenue for delegates and users of Spectrum resources to discuss, technically criticize issues that would enable ECOWAS member states have a seamless switch from analogue to digital migration by July 2015.

With the advent of emerging technologies, he said ECOWAS as a region must not be left behind in the formulation and implementation of policies that would positively affect the socio-economic well being of ECOWAS member states.

On his part, the Director General of NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba, represented by Mike Onyia said it is in the best of interest of ECOWAS to take the necessary steps to fit into the global loop of information and communication or go the way of the dinosaur.

According to him, the forum would help the region make significant move towards making her digital switchover and the use of spectrum more effective.