The Emir of Kano, Alh. Aminu Ado Bayero and influential individuals have commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for its various consumer-centric initiatives.
Bayero, who engaged the commission’s staff at the NCC Pavilion during the recently-concluded, 42nd edition of the Kano International Trade Fair 2021 in Kano, commended the commission led by its executive vice-chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, for being consumer-focused in its regulatory activities.
He charged other regulatory organisations across the country to emulate the NCC by constantly creating platforms, leveraging different fora and emplacing frameworks and initiatives to enhance consumer protection in their respective sectors.
Another eminent visitor to the commission’s pavilion, was the Karajen Kano, Alh. Ibrahim Abubakar II.
Addressing a large gathering of telecoms consumers at the NCC Day event, Danbatta, thanked the organisers of the fair, the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA), for the constant invitation to NCC to leverage the trade fair platform as an avenue for engaging telecom stakeholders, especially consumers.
Danbatta, who was represented by the NCC’s director, public affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, spoke on the theme of the trade fair: “Consolidating the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic to opportunities for growth and development of micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria”.
He promised that the commission will continue to stimulate increased access to digital infrastructure to support businesses and individuals, as well as constantly protect consumer rights and privileges.
According to Danbatta, the telecommunications sector has been a major driver of the digital economy agenda of the Federal Government, as it continues to provide the needed digital support for the economy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant restriction period.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, government institutions, businesses and individuals have relied heavily on telecoms services to carry out their daily operations and official routines. In response to the increased demand for telecoms services, the commission put several regulatory measures in place to ensure seamless access by Nigerians to telecommunications services and protect them against any adverse impact on the quality of service enjoyed by consumers,” he said.
Danbatta reiterated NCC’s commitment to protecting and empowering consumers – whether individuals and corporate consumers – from unfair practices willingly or unwillingly orchestrated by the service providers.
“This is based on our regulatory mandate of ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services deserve to get value for their money, and to be treated right as very important stakeholders in the scheme of things,” he added.
In the same vein, the NCC’s director, consumer affairs bureau, Efosa Idehen, in his address, took a great deal of time enlightening consumers on various consumer-centric initiatives put in place by the commission to protect consumer rights. The initiatives, he explained in great detail, include the NCC’s various channels of lodging complaints, the NCC toll-free Number 622, the do-not-disturb (DND) shortcode 2442, the NCC’s emergency number 112, among several other consumer-focused programmes.
In his remarks, KACCIMA president, Dalhatu Abubakar, applauded NCC for prioritising consumer protection in all that it does.
“I commend you for your efforts in ensuring that telecoms continue to play a critical role in not only transforming the way people live, work and play but also contribute significantly to the growth of Nigerian economy, as evidenced in the sector’s impressive contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said.
