The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued an ultimatum to government officials. The 14 days ultimatum was issued through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and it mandated the officials to comply with the Framework and Guidelines for the use of Social Media Platforms for Public Institutions.
NITDA calls for strict compliance to guidelines on use of social media https://t.co/VaSN28kDnI
— NITDA Nigeria (@nitdanigeria) June 28, 2019
The ultimatum was given due to the fact that some government officials still use their personal accounts for official purposes, whilst other officials failed to hand over their official account after their tenure. These acts according to the NITDA, violates the law that accounts that every official government social media account remains the property of the government.
See also: Kenya Digital Lenders Association Adopts Self-Regulatory Framework
NITDA Urges Public Institutions to Comply with Guidelines on the Use of Social Media https://t.co/Nb5M2BPbMa
— NITDA Nigeria (@nitdanigeria) June 28, 2019
The framework and guidelines for the use of social media platforms that was signed into law on January 25, 2019, mandates government officials in every public institution to open all official accounts with the official email. It also mandates against publishing a personal opinion on the official handles. It charges them as well to respect copyright laws and avoid harassment.
According to Isa Ali Pantami DG and CEO of the NITDA, the NITDA advises public officials to take appropriate measures and ensure the compliance of the regulation within 14 days of this ultimatum to avoid being sanctioned.
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