The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, has pledged support for the Nigerian Communications Commission’s ( NCC) advocacy for telecom infrastructure protection across the nation.
According to a statement issued by NCC’s Director Public Affairs , Reuben Muoka, on Sunday, the monarch called on Nigerians to take responsibility for the protection of these facilities for mutual benefit of all.
The monarch who spoke through the Ayingun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Ademola Odunade at the Village Square Dialogue (VSD) in Ibadan advised the Nigerian public, ” to support NCC to achieve its objectives of protecting telecoms consumer because this should be seen as a collective responsibility.”
The Chairman of the Board of the NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande called on the consumers and other stakeholders to join hands in protecting telecoms infrastructure in their communities to ensure sustained connectivity.
The Professor said the objective of this novel consumer engagement was “to explore how we can all protect these infrastructures to continue to provide us with life-supporting services and we are happy to bring this programme to Oyo State to really sensitise telecom consumers and other critical stakeholders in this regard,” he said.
Akande noted that without telecom infrastructure, it will be difficult to communicate with family and friends over long distances while conducting banking, insurance, or access government services, education, entertainment and other essentials of life.
“This means that telecom infrastructures are important, and we must all ensure that we guard and protect this Critical National Infrastructure”, Akande said.
He listed such destabilising situations in the telecom sector to include the negative attitudes and actions of hostile communities; theft of diesel, batteries and power generators from base stations; digging up and cutting of fibre optic cables; sealing/locking up of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites and other disruptive activities which must be tackled decisively,” he stressed.
Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, Mr. Efosa Idehen, who commended the consumers from the Ibadan axis for turning out in numbers, pledged the Commission’s commitment towards the care of the consumers.
Idehen stated that NCC has the responsibility to protect, inform and educate the millions of telecom consumers in the country.
“Therefore, part of activities to deliver on this mandate is this type of programme holding in Ibadan today. We value your feedback on all kind of services you receive in the telecoms sector but most importantly, we implore you to join hands in protecting telecom infrastructure in your areas,” he said.
He advised members of the public to report any suspected cases of threats to telecoms infrastructure to law enforcement agents in their areas for necessary interventions, and can call toll free numbers 112 in cases of emergencies or 622 to report complaints bordering on telecommunications services to the NCC.
