Our primary focus is to protect telecoms subscibers —NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has for the umpteenth time restated its commitment to the satisfaction of telecoms subscribers in the country, saying they are the target beneficiaries of all its activities.

This was disclosed by Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, the commission’s Director, Consumer  Affairs  Bureau during the 31st edtion of  the Consumer Town Hall Meeting organised by the NCC in Iseyin, Oyo State last week. He said that the commission’s primary focus is in terms of ensuring that subscribers get good quality of service, value for money spent, timely and fair redress of complaints and protection from unwholesome practices of some service provides.

“The theme for discussion today is  Information and Education as a Catalyst for Consumer Protection and the topic is carefully chosen to reflect one of the cardinal objectives of the Nigerian communications Commission of ensuring the protection of telecoms consumers from market exploitation and empowering them to make rational and informed decision when making choices of services

“Consumer   education is identified by the commission as one of the most cost effective mechanism that provides and guarantees consumer protection. Besides serving as a pro-active way of protecting consumers from making wrong choices, it also serves as a preventive measure that protect consumers from being exploited and against fraud.

“To ensure that the telecoms consumer is well Protected, Informed and Educated (PIE mandate) the commission has developed series of initiatives with the main goal of empowering consumers with appropriate information that will ensure that their rights are not only protected but their choices provide them with value for money,” he said.

Echoing Maikano, Mr Ismail Adedigba, Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau said in realisation of the basic rights of the telecoms consumers that the NCC has developed various programmes to empower consumers, saying one of such was the Consumer Town Hall meeting.

According to him, the programme was to enable tripartite meeting between regulators, operators and consumers to resolve pressing consumers’ issues as it relates to provision of telecoms services.

He also made reference to the fact that the NCC has declared 2017 as the Year of Telecoms Consumers in that the campaign was to deepen awareness on the NCC 622 toll free line to  lodge complaints to the  NCC and the 2442 short code to stop unsolicited messages.

In his presentation at the event, Mr. Yomi Olawoyin of the  Initiative for Support as Promotion of Consumer Rights, commended the NCC for  making the welfare of subscribers its priority.

He advised telecoms operators not to restrict themselves to telecoms services alone but to also engage in advisory services to the consumers on issues like standard type of phones and gadgets in order to attain high quality of service delivery system.