NCC Charges Residents to Protect Telecom Assets from Vandals, Thieves

The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has expressed concern over the frequent destruction and theft of telecommunications equipment in many communities in the country and called on the people to take ownership of the infrastructure and protect them from thieves and vandals.

The Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof Adeolu Akande, gave the charge while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the commission in Ibadan on Friday, and urged residents of the town and Nigerians in general to always report suspicious movements around telecoms installations to security agencies.

Akande hinted that so many aspects of the economy relied on telecommunications, adding that disruption of telecom services by any means would have a negative effect on almost every other sector.

The NCC board of commissioners’ chairman said, “We are here in Ibadan to discuss one of the most important issues affecting us, which is how to protect telecom infrastructure. Telecom infrastructure is important, and we must ensure that we take it as a critical national infrastructure.

“We need cooperation of members of the public and consumers to protect the infrastructure; we are doing this across the country to seek the support of Nigerians and telecom service providers.”

The NCC Director of Consumers Affairs Bureau, Efosa Idehen, also urged residents to support telecom companies by ensuring that their equipment was always protected from theft and destruction.

Idehen said “Let’s all work together to ensure that the infrastructure is protected for better and quality service delivery.”

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, harped on the importance of the protection of telecom equipment by the people.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, who was represented by Chief Ademola Odunade, appealed to  the people to allow telecom firms to install their masts in their areas, stressing that “No demons will disturb you if they install it in your area.”