From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has called on community leaders and people of Ogun State to own telecommunication infrastructure in their localities and protect them from vandals.
The NCC also urged them not to hesitate to report any form of infrastructure sabotatge noticed in their respective environment, stressing that the Commission would not cease in its duty to protect telecom consumers and ensure they get the best of service from service providers.
Making the call during a Village Square Meeting organised by the NCC at the Centenary Hall, Ake, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, the Exexutive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Leke Adewolu, noted that telecommunication infrastructures are critical to modern existence and people must tackle anything that affects their seamless operation.
He said issues such as hostile communities, the theft of diesel, batteries and power generators, digging up fiber lines, sealing/locking-up of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites and such other illegal activities must be tackled decisively at the communal level.
“I therefore urge you all to please see telecoms infrastructure as your own, and to protect them as communal property. Anybody that tampers with telecoms infrastructure is tampering with your future and the future of your children – they should be resisted and reported”, Adewolu stated.
While maintaining that one of the most important responsibilities (NCC) is to protect consumers’ interests, he said the Commission has effectively articulated a PIE Mandate which enables it to Protect, Inform and Educate consumers of telecoms services wherever they may be in Nigeria.
Adewolu added that the outreach events of such as the Telecoms Consumer Parliaments, Telecoms Consumer Town Hall Meetings, Online engagement media, and Consumer Conversations with various strategic segments of telecoms consumers such as professionals, students, markets, has been reviewed to a Village Square Dialogue.
This, according to him, is to create a platform for telecommunications subscribers and other esteemed stakeholders and telecom industry, to engage with consumers at the grassroots to resolve their challenges, and to provide them with relevant information on issues affecting the seamless operations of the dynamic industry.
“We are gathered here in Ake to discuss one of the most important issues affecting the operations of the telecoms industry today, and that is how we can all assist to ensure the protection of telecoms infrastructure and preserve the capacity of these infrastructure to continue to provide us with life-supporting services. As we all know, telecoms services have long been recognized as the easiest and cheapest means of meeting critical socio-economic needs such as education, financial inclusion, economic empowerment and deepening social interactions.
“The infrastructure through which these services are provided are called the “infrastructure of infrastructures” because they enable the digitization and seamless connectivity of all other socio-economic platforms. Without telecoms infrastructure, we cannot communicate with friends and family over long distances at the touch of a button, and we cannot conduct banking, insurance, government services, education, entertainment, etc. with ease. This means that telecoms infrastructure are critical to modern existence, and we must all do what we can to ensure that we tackle anything that affects their seamless operation”, Adewolu submitted.