Galaxy backbone trains ICT journalists on cybersecurity

Galaxy Backbone (GBB), has organised a training on cybersecurity for journalists under the auspices of Nigerian Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) in Abuja.

The 2-day capacity building was as a result of the increasing spate of cyber attacks in Nigeria, and the need to bridge the information deficit.

The workshop was intended not only to equip the journalists with the skills required to professionally report the IT world, but to also advance cybersecurity awareness among vulnerable Nigerians.

Galaxy Backbone is a parastatal under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the information technology and shared services provider of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Speaking at the workshop, the Managing Director, GBB, Prof. Muhammed Abubakar said, the partnership between the company and the media was a mutually beneficial one.

Abubakar, represented by a Senior Manager in the company, Mr Ifedayo Balogun, said the GBB boss was happy with the depth of knowledge transfer at the workshop.

“This will help the GBB push its developmental information especially on Nigeria’s digital economy drive to the public.

“You have spent some days here and I’m sure you already know some of the things we do and the services we provide, and I can also see a lot of knowledge sharing and transfer, the questions and the answers provided.

“I must say thank you very much for your attention and it is believed that this will certainly not be the end of our relationship and partnership as it is just the beginning,” he said.

The President, NITRA,  Abuja Chapter,  Mr Blessing Olaifa thanked the GBB MD and the  staff for the rare opportunity to be trained.

He said that the training exposed other statutory responsibilities and achievements of GBB which were hitherto hidden because of inadequate publicity.

Olaifa urged the management of GBB to do more in that regard.

“There is little training in this digital era in ICT that is little, especially from the quantum of knowledge acquisition that have been impacted on us journalists.

“For instance, some of the updated modules taught were eye opener and we are happy about it.

“We have also been made to know other statutory responsibilities which we initially thought was the purview of other agencies.

“I will appeal that there is need for more publicity on the side of GBB especially on the unique and critical services that they are rendering especially in actualizing the vision and mission of the federal government digital economy road map.

“We were impressed to know what the agency does to stop and mitigate attacks on cyberspace”, he said. (NAN)