The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NCC

  • ‘Use budgetary allocation judiciously’

    ‘Use budgetary allocation judiciously’

    House of Representatives Communications Committee has called for appropriate use of budgetary allocations to government agencies, ministries and departments, stressing that such a step could address issues like unemployment.

    The Chairman of the committee, Oyetunde Ojo, who led other members to the Lagos Campus of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Oshodi, during the inspection of on-going projects of the Nigerian Commuincations Commission (NCC), yesterday, said as representatives of the people, it is appropriate that members see what the funds appropriated in the budget are used for.

    He said: “The National Assembly appropriates the funds. We must see what the appropriated funds are been used for, because at the end of the day, Nigerians will hold us accountable.

  • Cold war in NCC over $460million police security project

    Cold war in NCC over $460million police security project

    • Executive Vice Chairman, Commissioner at logger heads

    •Presidency raises technical committee on dispute

     

    All is not well between the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Eugene Juwa and one of his national commissioners over the allocation of a frequency to a private company.

    The frequency, 450MHz, was allocated to Openskys Services Limited, but the commissioner has alleged it was originally earmarked for the Police for their security communication and video monitoring.

    He has written a petition to the Minster of Communications Technology, Mrs.Omobola Johnson, on the issue.

    But Openskys Limited has disputed the commissioner’s claim saying the frequency was allocated to it in 2009 before the Police Project was initiated and that it has been cooperating with the Police for the smooth take off of the project since the Federal Government has 25 per cent equity in Openskys Services Limited.

    A top source in NCC described the face- off between the two officials as a fall out of the appointment of Mr. Juwa in succession to Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the commissioner had in a memo alleged that the EVC unilaterally awarded the frequency to Openskys Services Limited.

    The commissioner in his brief memo to the Minister said:

    “The Federal Government procured and deployed a CDMA network (GoTa System) for security communications and video monitoring nationwide at a cost of $460million on the same 450MHz for the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies. “With full knowledge of the above facts, the EVC of NCC, without due process, went ahead to unilaterally assign the same 450MHz to Openskys Services Limited.

    “I refer to the meeting held yesterday with the Vice-President during which we discussed surrounding the inability of the police to operate its national telecoms network as well as the newly installed security systems in Abuja due to a so-called ‘NCC Frequency Award’ made to Openskys Limited, a Private Individual Licensee.

    “With every sense of responsibility, I wish to state that my contributions at the said meeting were honest and aimed at trying to solve a clear national security problem.

    “Although my professional contributions did not go down well with the Minister and the EVC of NCC, I had nevertheless expected that I would be invited to the meeting of the technical group so as to furnish clarifications on my stand.”

    A source in NCC, however said: “The award of the frequency predated the EVC in office.

    “The challenge we are having is that the affected national commissioner has been at loggerheads with the EVC since he was appointed.

    “His position is that since a southerner left the office, he should be made the EVC as the most senior northern commissioner. He has made NCC ungovernable for the EVC by creating discord between northern and southern staff. We have never had any ethnic challenge as this man is doing.”

    In its reaction, Openskys Services Limited, through its Operations Manager, Mr. Osi Okaro, said: “Openskys Services Limited is a Joint Venture/PPP between private investors and MIGCOMSAT. NIGCOMSAT is wholly owned by the Federal Government. “Openskys Services Limited was registered in 2008; the company applied to NCC for the 450MHz frequency and was duly allocated that frequency in 2009.

    “All the necessary payments were made and Openskys Services Limited has been cooperating with the Nigeria Police Force since then.

    “The technological equipment required to roll out this service has been put in place by Openskys Services Limited. When it takes off, it will complement the technology available as well as support telecommunications penetration and enhance national security, architecture, PUSH to TALK and so on.

    “The entire project will provide for Nigeria and the Nigerian government cheaper, more efficient telecommunications facilities with wider coverage. It is common knowledge in the industry that a fifth columnist led by a disgruntled National Commissioner is operating within the NCC with the aim of destabilising the organisation from within.

    “Openskys wishes to plead that it should not be dragged into this internal high-wired politics within the NCC. All transactions of Openskys with NCC have been conducted with highest level of transparency and credibility.

    “The national economy is about to begin an upward, positive swing because of renewed international confidence in government commitment towards a robust economy. It will be a serious shame if all hands are not on deck to ensure that genuine companies are not deterred from carrying on business without fear of blackmail and character assassination.”

  • NCC urges telecoms consumers to protect their rights

    NCC urges telecoms consumers to protect their rights

     

    The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, on Friday urged telecommunications consumers in the country to protect their rights.

    Speaking at the First National Telecoms Subscribers Summit in Lagos, Juwah said they could do this by reporting to the appropriate authorities any unfair practice by the telecoms operators.

    The summit with the theme ”Nigerian Telecoms Revolution: Consumerism as the Last mile Challenge” was organised by the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS).

    Represented by the Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, Juwah urged the consumers to take advantage of the Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB), established by the commission to protect their rights.

    “In a bid to implement this mandate, the commission established the Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB) in September, 2001,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the NCC chief as saying at the forum.

    He said that one of the commission’s mandates was to protect and promote the interest of consumers against unfair practices from their service providers.

    According to him, there is a paradigm shift from mere service provision to ensuring that consumer satisfaction ranks highest in priority, in the provision of ICT goods and services.