By Nifemi Adefemi
(with Agency reports)
Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) is to build emergency communication centres in 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the aim of bridging the gap between distressed and emergency response agencies in the country.
Executive Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, disclosed this at the Enugu International Trade Fair last weekend said all telecom operators were mandated to route emergency calls through the dedicated three digit toll free number 112, from each state to the emergency centres within the state.
Danbatta, who was represented by the Director, Public Affairs of the NCC, Mr Reuben Muoka, Danbatta explained that the operators who should be residents in states where the communication centres are installed would process the distress calls and contact the response agency at the NCC headquarters whose duty it is to handle the cases.
He advised all consumers not to open emails that are not familiar to them, adding that people should not post personal identification information online.
He also said that the commission had created a toll free number 622, as a second level complaint which allows consumers to escalate unresolved issues by their service providers to the commission for effective resolution.
The Chairman described unsolicited text messages as a major issue affecting telecom consumers, adding that the commission, in order to protect subscribers from the unwholesome practice, evolved a solution called
“Do not disturb”.
“Globally, telecom service are critical to the overall socio-economic well-being of any nation as it provides a technological foundation for societal communication which plays a central role in the fundamental operations of the society.
“NCC as a regulator is mindful that telecom is an enabler and catalyst for economic advancement of the country and has consistently made available, affordable and accessible telecom service to eliminate certain telecom barriers,” he said.
President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr Jasper Nduagwuike, said that the NCC is committed to provide better service delivery by telecommunication operators in the country.
Nduagwuike, who was represented by the first deputy chairman of ACCIMA, Mr Odega Jideonwu, said that he was sure that the Trade Fair platform is a good interface with Stakeholders in the telecom industry.
He stressed that the role of the commission as a regulatory agency in the development of the telecommunication sector is to ensure best practices, efficient and effective service delivery by operators in the sector.
Nduagwuike said that a lot more needed to be done to fully tap the potentials in this sector and for customers of the various GSM network operators to fully maximize the inherent benefits of optimal service delivery by operators.