Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), on Thursday, charged telecoms consumers to inculcate the habit of protecting telecom installations in order to enhance quality and efficient service delivery.
NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Dambatta, made the charge during a Consumer Conversation Forum held, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The Vice chairman, who was represented by NCCs Head of Zonal Operations ,Helen Obi said vandalism of telecoms installations and equipment remained one of the major challenges confronting the industry.
He said that both the telecom service providers and consumers are duty bound, as critical stakeholders, to genuinely contribute their quota toward ensuring the desired stability and improvement in the sector.
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The NCC boss said the misconception about telecom antennas being hazardous to human as a result of radiation emission was far from the truth.
According to him, a lot of breakthrough has been achieved in regulating the radiation level of telecom antennas so as not to be harmful to human.
His words, “A development that has been duly certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“These antennas are installed far atop telecom masts at a level that the amount of radiation being emitted has been largely reduced for human habitation.
“We are therefore using this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to inculcate the habit of safeguarding telecom installations rather than being subjected to unnecessary vandalisation,” he said.
Dambatta said the Consumer Conversation was designed in line with NCC’s 8-point agenda of educating, protecting and empowering consumers toward ensuring growth and development in the sector.
He urged telecom consumers who are dissatisfied with unsolicited messages from telecom providers to activate DO-NOT-DISTURB service on their mobile lines by sending “STOP” to 2442 short code.
Consumers that wish to receive promotional messages are also asked to send “HELP” to the same short code of 2442 and choose from various options available.
He charged consumers to always lodge their complaints with their respective service providers for redress and to also dial NCC’s 622 toll free short code when dissatisfied with response received.
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Dambatta said the Commission had set aside an intervention fund to assist telecom un-served or under-served towns and communities in order to facilitate unhindered access to telecom operations in such localities.
Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu Gambari, represented by Alhaji Ahmad Bello, Daodu Fufu, in a welcome address, urged the gathering to take advantage of the forum toward improving their knowledge of happenings in the telecom industry.
Director Kwara State Library Service Mrs. Abioye Roseline, in her remarks, commended NCC for its foresight and called for a formidable collaboration that would assist the commission in its regulatory assignment.
A participant, Kayode Adeyemi of Insightful Communication, described the forum as an eye opener, saying it was resourceful, timely and impactful.