Don tasks NCC on internet service speed

Dr Abdulwahab Lawan, Dean, Faculty of Computer Science and Technology, Bayero University, Kano, has called on the National Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that Internet service providers operated within the provisions of the law.

Lawan made the call at the second part of the stakeholders meeting on `Speedy and Affordable Internet Service’ in Nigeria on Monday in Kano.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by an NGO, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), to proffer solutions to epileptic Internet service.

He also called on the regulatory agency to ensure that the service providers operated within the ambit of acceptable limited quality of service agreement, to enhance effective service delivery.

Lawan said the call was necessary in view of the fact that Internet service was a very important tool for Socio-economic development.

“The service provided by the operators has a lot of challenges, hence the need for the regulatory agencies to rise up to the challenges to correct the anomaly.

“Internet service in Nigeria is not reliable and is unaffordable compared to other countries in the world.

“So, if education is a right, the access to internet service should also be a right,’’he said.

According to him, Internet service should not be a privilege, but a right in view of its importance toward promoting socio-economic development.

The Don said that NGOs also had a significant role to play in advocacy to ensure that internet service speed was improved, its cost reduced and the level of affordability enhanced.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of CITAD represented by Mr Abdulganiyu Rufa’i, said the meeting was organised to discuss challenges bedeviling Internet service providers with a view to finding solutions to them.

“The operators have to take active steps to improve their service for the benefit of their clients,’’he said.

NAN reports that the meeting was attended by various Internet service providers from within and outside the state.