From: Ali Abare, Gombe

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on Thursday, urged telecom consumers in the country to take advantage of the consumer outreach programme provided by the Commission for protection against exploitation by service providers.

The commission also pledged its resolve to continue to ensure that telecom consumers are protected against any form of exploitation.

Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, Abdullahi Maikano, spoke at the 82nd edition of its Consumer Outreach Programme (COP) held in Gombe.

Maikano said commitment to this resolution informed the topic of the meeting: “Information and education as a catalyst for consumer protection”.

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He said the commission was out to ensure that telecom consumers were well protected, informed and educated hence its initiatives to empower consumers with the appropriate information that will guarantee them value for their money.

The NCC official said the initiatives include organising outreach programmes across the country, disseminating consumer education via factsheets, disseminating information via consumer web portal and interaction via social platform.

Other initiatives include responding to enquiries via NCC Call Centres on a toll free number – 622 and participating on radio programmes that educate customers on their rights and privileges.

NCC’s Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ismail Adedigba  said consumers must be accorded their right to be heard, right to be educated, right to redress and right to safety among others.

He said the meeting is therefore a tripartite meeting between regulators, operators and consumers to resolve pressing consumers’ issues as it relates to provision of telecom services.