NCC clarifies engagement with students through campus conversation

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has clarified that it commenced a telecommunications consumer conversation (campuses conversation) for Nigerian universities with a view to deepening consumer awareness among students.

NCC Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB), Efosa Idehen, who disclosed this at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) during the Telecom Consumer Conversation (Campus Conversation), said the move was aimed at creating awareness among students of tertiary institutions on their rights and obligations as consumers of telecoms services.

Idehen noted that the programme was also meant to sensitise students on the several programmes for consumer protection and empowerment to enable them to leverage the offerings.

He said although there were several platforms available to the commission for carrying out consumer education to ensure that they were well informed and adopt various mediums to pass the message across to consumers, the campus conversation, was, however, important as the customer remains “a reputable stakeholder.”

Idehen listed some of the commission’s consumer-centric initiatives to include: Emergency toll-free number 112; the NCC Consumer Complaint toll-free number 622; the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) Short Code 2442, Regulation on Forceful Subscription and other measures put in place to check cases of pre-registered Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.

“We initiated several consumer-centric initiatives because, without the consumer, there won’t be any service. So, that’s why we treat the consumers well since we are in business because of them.

“It is important that whenever our customers have issues with their service providers, they should try to exhaust all internal mechanisms before lodging their complaint. We can only come in when such complaints are not resolved,” he said.

“The customer’s king when it comes to unsolicited messages by giving them the do not disturb code 2442, which they should dial to stop us from sending unsolicited messages. Therefore, the consumers can determine what gets to them or what they want to read by dialling 2442,” he said.

Idehen, who disclosed that through NCC’s innovations, customers had been able to roll over their unused data bundles, lamented rising vandalism of telecommunication infrastructure in the country, saying it was a major setback on the activities of network providers.

Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Charles Igwe, who was represented by the Dean of School of Post-Graduate Studies, Prof. Romanus Ezeokonkwo, expressed gratitude to the NCC for choosing the university for the programme, saying campuses were ready to commence the enlightenment programme.

Also, President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Steve Ani, appreciated the commission for sensitising students on their rights and obligations as consumers and vowed to extend the sensitisation to others.