By Gift Samuel, The Sight News
Abuja-The Consumer has been said to be the paymaster and boss in the telecommunications industry and as such deserves respect, attention and the right to speak and be heard.
This was the crux of the 80th edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) where the 154 million Nigerian Telecom Consumers were put at the centre stage and celebrated as the holders of the key to the successes of the telecommunications industry.
Speaking on Tuesday at the TCP in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta expressed gratitude to the consumers for responding positively to the telecommunications revolution, adding that throughout his tenure, the consumer will remain at the heart of his administration.
Danbatta who was represented by the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Mr. Sunday Dare emphasized that the commission has kept to its focus of ensuring that 2017 remains the Year of the Consumer as all its initiatives such as SIM Card Registration, Mobile Number Portability, Broadband Policy Implementation, development of 2442 and 622 short codes are geared towards consumer satisfaction and protection.
According to him; “I intend to be the Consumer Czar of the industry looking out for and protecting the interest of the consumer always without compromising the interests of other stakeholders in the industry. This is because the consumer deserves all the credit for the past and indeed the future successes of this industry”.
Also speaking in a paper presentation, Barrister Ayoola Oke of Consumer Advocacy Group, noted that setting aside 2017 as Year of the Consumer, is the commencement of focusing on the consumers as the principal reason for the existence of the industry.
While urging consumers to make their voices known and heard, he stressed that all consumers are important whether privileged or under privileged, adding that NCC wants the consumer to use the services to build themselves up and become wealthy.
He also pointed out that the Industry agenda for the consumer is for the comfort, improvement, development and prosperity of the consumer, saying also that; “NCC is proposing that there is a need for network service providers to shift the competition among themselves from infrastructure base to consumer service base competition”.
He however announced that the commission has commenced aggressive enforcement of the NCC’s Code of Corporate Governance to ensure that licensees in the industry continue to operate as viable businesses.
On their part,telecom operators who were present, assured consumers that all hands will be on deck to ensure that the best services are rendered and consumers satisfied.
