NCC to maintain sanctions in enforcing contravened policies

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has expressed its commitment to deliver on its mandate of implementing policies that would further develop telecommunications market in Nigeria as well as protect the Nigerian Communication Act (NCA), NCC regulations and guidelines against contravention especially by willful operators.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof Umar Dambatta who stated this yesterday at the first annual conference on Financial Fraud, Cyber Crime and other Cross-Border Crime in Abuja, said that the Nigerian Communication Act, 2003 has empowered NCC to issue sanctions and enforce compliance where regulations or guidelines are contravened.

He explained that effective exercise of enforcement powers and application of appropriate sanctions by the regulator against erring service providers is meant to sanitize the telecommunication industry and provide a good playing field for investment.

Dambatta stated that the Commission is liaising with all security agencies using its powers in the prevention and combating financial fraud, cybercrime and other related cross-border crimes.
He noted that to further this collaboration, the Commission has established the Department of New Media and Information Security that would bring together law enforcement agencies, industry leaders and cyber security experts to enhance capacity to prevent, defend and respond to cyber threats.

Represented by the Head, Legal and Regulatory Services in the Commission, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye, Dambatta observed that NCC has established a good Memorandum of Understanding between it and the Nigeria Police, the office of the National Security Adviser and other security agencies, compelling the network operators to cooperate with these security agencies in the course of their onerous function of criminal investigation and such related matters.

He noted that the Commission is aware of the constant and disturbing use of mobile phones and the Internet in the commission of heinous crimes such as kidnapping.