Stakeholders, NCC worry over destruction of telecoms infrastructure
Danbatta, NCC EVC
The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), yesterday, expressed worries over incessant theft and vandalisation of telecommunication infrastructures across the country.
The commission said the persistent challenges consumers were experiencing while making calls were mostly caused by the destruction and/or vandalisation of telecommunication infrastructure.
Speaking in Ibadan during a Village Square Dialogue, a telecoms consumer outreach programme organised by the commission to sensitise the grassroots, the NCC Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande, emphasised the need to protect telecommunication infrastructure.
He said without proper and functioning telecom infrastructure, “to communicate with families in long distances as well banking, finance, education and entertainment would be hard.”
Akande added that the reason for engaging the grassroots in the fight against vandalisation of telecom infrastructure was because security agencies could not be at all the sites of the telecommunication infrastructure, hence the need for stakeholders and consumers to protect it.
He added: “The decision to hold the event in Ibadan was borne out of pride of the town being the pace setter state and the most populous in black Africa.
“We are here in Ibadan to discuss one of the most important issues affecting the protection of telecom infrastructure; telecom infrastructure is important and we must ensure we take it as critical national infrastructure.
“We need the cooperation of members of the public and consumers to protect the infrastructures. We are doing this across the country to seek the support of Nigerians and telecommunication service providers.”
The NCC Director of Consumers Affairs Bureau, Efosa Idehen, said one of the mandates of the Bureau was to protect, inform and educate the consumers on the need to guide and protect communication infrastructures. He stressed that the protection of public infrastructure was a collective effort and not only meant for NCC.
“Let’s all work together to ensure that the infrastructure is protected for better and quality delivery.”
In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, commended the commission for effective regulation, just as he thanked Akande for bringing the senstisation programme to Ibadan.
Speaking on behalf of the Olubadan of Ibadaland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Chief Ademola Odunade described the event as a welcome development, urging residents to cooperate with NCC towards securing telecommunication infrastructure.
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