The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has, again, emphasised the need for telecom consumers and the general public to consciously join hands in protecting telecom infrastructure and regard them as “collectively owned” crucial and essential for the provision of good Quality of Service (QoS).
Director, Zonal Operations, NCC, Mrs. Amina Shehu, made the call during a sensitisation programme on protection of telecoms infrastructure organised by the Commission in Eggon Local Government Area, Nasarawa State on Friday.
Represented by Mr. Abubakar Usman, Principal Manager, Zonal Operations, NCC, Shehu also restated the NCC's commitment towards ensuring improved delivery to telecom consumers by the service providers which she described as a cardinal goal of the Commission.
Shehu, however, stated that in recent times, there has been rising public concerns regarding alleged likely negative health effects of Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) radiation emanating from telecommunication infrastructure, saying such negative concerns have, in some cases, led to interference and or agitation against the deployment of required infrastructure to the detriment of delivering quality telecom services in the country.
She said such interference manifested in vandalism of telecom infrastructure, fibre cuts, theft of sites equipment, incriminate dealing of base transceiver stations (BTS) by government agencies over multiple taxation issue, denial or exorbitant cost of Right of Way (RoW), among others.
"In response to these challenges, the growing concerns over the EMF issues and commitment to public safety, the NCC, through the Zonal Operations Department, deems it necessary as one of its core functions to organise this sensitisation workshop to educate and inform the consumers as well as the general public to protect telecom facilities.
"As we are aware, telecommunication has been an integral part of our daily lives with provision of services ranging from telephony, entertainment, information and learning over a broad range of media platforms," she said.
The DZO further noted that over the past fifteen years, the country has experienced tremendous growth in this sector with over 10 per cent contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among others.
She explained that the achievements would not have been possible without the active collaboration of all relevant stakeholders and the enabling environment provided by government in the sector, stressing that much as the Commission aims to sustain the growth and as the industry continues to evolve, the industry is faced with various challenges that have hampered development in the sector as it relates to infrastructure deployment.
While emphasising the Commission’s drive for pervasive Broadband penetration, Shehu said the NCC will continue to strengthen collaboration with necessary stakeholders in line with its 8-Point Agenda while also pursuing efforts at making telecom infrastructure a critical national asset.
Amplifying the DZO's positions, Kunle Olorundare, Principal Manager, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, NCC, spoke extensively on the need to adequately protect telecom infrastructure.
He, therefore, urged telecom consumers "living within the communities where telecom facilities are sited to desist from creating illegal restrictions to telecom facilities and report any act of vandalism to the authorities in their areas."