NAN-H-62
Search
By Constance Athekame
Abuja, Oct. 7, 2016 (NAN) The Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Department of Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), has commenced nationwide search for pre-registered SIM cards.
Prof, Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, made this known at NCC’s special Day at the Abuja International Trade Fair on Friday.
He said the exercise which is in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, was aimed at arresting and prosecuting offenders.
“The issue of pre-registered SIM cards is rearing its ugly head again and the attention of the commission has been drawn to the menace and NCC is leaving no stone unturned to arrest the situation.
“We have sent directive to service providers to ensure that their agents are not used to perpetrate this fraud. All service providers found culpable will be severely sanctioned.
“But we urge the consumers to be wary of this fraud to avoid being victim of the circumstances.
“Members of the public are advised to desist from buying or using preregistered SIM cards, and to report anybody selling or using pre-registered SIM cards”, Danbatta, who was represented by Mr Reuben Mouka, Head of Public Relations of NCC, added.
He said vandalism of telecom infrastructure, and in some cases, denial of right of way to service providers, was part of the challenges hindering quality of service.
“The commission is requesting partnership with the public, to prevail on some local communities, or councils and sometimes individuals or families, who bar service providers from maintaining their sites.
“Those who prevent them from expanding services to other locations should desist from such as it contributes to poor quality of service.
The NCC boss also urged telecom consumers to be wary of the source of telecom devices which they use adding that there was menace of the substandard and counterfeit devices in the networks.
He said were all kinds of devices and handsets in the market as some of them had been used and dropped in other parts of the world.
He stressed that some of these devices did not meet international standard benchmarks for safety and other requirements.
“They do not only pose risks to the users but also degrade the quality of service in the network.
“We urge all telecom consumers to be wary of the source of telecom devices which they use.
“The commission has a list of the type of approved handsets in its website. These are handset models ascertained to be of international standard and do not affect quality of service.”
Mr Taiwo Oluseyi of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Abuja international trade fair was one of Nigeria’s best and most established shows and was delighted to host the commission.
Oluseyi said the fair offered opportunities for business development as well as a platform for all participants to showcase their latest innovation in products and services.
“The choice of the theme `Make it in Nigeria’ is to respond to the current realities of the Nigeria economy because we believe that we must make it in Nigeria.
“Thus `Make it in Nigeria’ is a clear call to government at all levels to do the needful, to improve the business environment and encourage operation of private sectors especially the small and medium enterprises. (NAN)
COA/EAL/IEA
Editor: Ekemini Ladejobi
Controller: Idahosa Asowata