The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Danbatta has revealed that the Commission has started fast tracking two leading points in the launched 8-Point Agenda which is designed to drive the agency until 2020.
The 8-Point Agenda launched about a year ago included to Facilitate Broadband Penetration; Improve Quality of Service; Optimize Usage and Benefits of Spectrum; Promote ICT Innovation and Investment Opportunities; Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and Partnership; Protect and Empower Consumers; Promote Fair Competition and Inclusive Growth and; Ensure Regulatory Excellence and Operational Efficiency.
However Danbatta said “Item two, Improve quality of service and item six are the core drivers of the NCC year of the consumer initiative”.
“Item six of the agenda is Protecting and Empowering Consumers. The goal is to protect consumers from unfair practices through availability of information and education required to make informed choices in the use of Telecom services. This is being actively pursued by strengthening initiatives, to educate and inform consumers in their use of the services and acting swiftly and consistently whenever necessary in the use of enforcement to protect telecom services, consumers’ rights and privileges.
Giving more insights on the choice, Danbatta said “As key stakeholders, the Consumers are therefore at the core of the 8-Point Agenda and the regulatory activities of the NCC”.
“In this regard, the Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission has the mandate “To ensure the protection of the rights, privileges and interests of telecommunications consumers, including the physically challenged groups through adequate information dissemination programmes; as well as effective policies and strategies that promote effective and efficient telecoms service delivery.”
Continuing, he said “The Year of the Consumer will therefore focus on two key areas: improving the Quality of Service; Protecting and Educating the Consumer. To address the unsolicited calls received by consumers, the NCC has introduced the Do Not Disturb (DND) facility where consumers are urged to activate the facility by texting 2442. There is also the 622 number for the NCC customer toll free complaint line. NCC intends to increase the awareness level and equally the activation level of these two initiatives”.
In his remarks, NCC’s Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management) Mr. Sunday Dare said “The drivers of the NCC 2017 Year of the Nigerian Telecom Consumer are the 2442 Do-Not-Disturb Service Code, the 622 toll free complaints line, Quality of Service, QoS and concerns about the Electromagnetic Field, EMF radiation. These are the areas the information provided in the course of the campaign would focus on”.
