NCC collaborates with GSM firms to rebuild destroyed facilities

The Executive Vice Chairman of National Communications Commission (NCC),Prof Umar Danbatta, said the commission is working with Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication providers to rebuild telecom facilities in the northeast destroyed by Boko haram insurgents.

The telecom masts and base stations signals (BASS), worth billions of naira, were destroyed in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states between 2009 and 2015
Danbatta disclosed this yesterday while presenting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and facilities to the Borno State Police Command in Maiduguri, the state capital.

He said that with return of peace, there was the need to rebuild all the destroyed telecom facilities to restore full GSM communication to the region.

He noted that the destruction of the facilities had seriously affected communications in most of the major towns, including the capitals of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

Danbatta, who was represented by NCC Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Hajiya Hafsat Lawan, said the commission was in talks with GSM providers on ways to get the facilities rebuilt and effective communications restored.

He also disclosed that the commission was ready to make some sacrifices needed to take the full pains off the GSM providers, adding that the NCC representatives was in Maiduguri to collaborate with the Police on ways to end cyber crime, which has caused a dent on the
country’s image in the international community.

She said that the ICT equipment and facilities were to assist the Police tackle cyber crime, adding that the commission was ready to
give further donation in this regard.

Responding, the state Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, said the equipment
would be put to use in fighting crimes and assured the commission that the Police would provide needed escorts whenever work on the destroyed telecommunications facilities commence.