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Tag: Prof. Umar Danbatta

  • Telecom masts, towers constitute no health hazards — NCC

    Telecom masts, towers constitute no health hazards — NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says there is no health issue surrounding telecom masts and towers mounted anywhere in the country.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this in a statement issued at the ongoing 2017 Enugu International Trade Fair on Monday.

    Danbatta said that such belief and claim were mere imagination and myth, adding, “it has no scientific base”.

    “There are some individuals who still believe that telecom masts and towers constitute health hazards to humans.

    “The commission still maintains that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has affirmed that no result of any such hazard has been established against base stations.

    “Therefore, any individual or community adducing such reasons to deny right of way to the telecom companies, and prevent them from expanding services are invariably contributing to the poor quality of service in the network,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that NCC had been on top of its game as the telecom regulator had not done badly.

    “Recently, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) awarded a Platinum Score to the commission for exemplary performance as an agency of government.

    “This award is an encouragement to us and we will not rest on our oars in continuing to deliver on our mandate, especially as it concerns the consumer,’’ he said.

    The Enugu International Trade Fair, which is being supported by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, is organised to showcase Nigeria’s non-oil products.

    The exhibition, which is the 28th in the series is also providing opportunity for local and foreign businesses to explore and access commercially viable markets in the South-East.

    The theme of the fair, organised by Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) is “Promoting Nigeria’s Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy”.

    The 10 days trade fair, which started on March 31, will end on April 10.

  • Nigeria GSM subscriptions hits 154 million

    No fewer than 154 million Nigerians are now active subscribers of the General System on Mobile Communications (GSM), the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said.

    Speaking on Friday during the NCC day at the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair, Danbatta said that the country’s social media space had continued to thrive.

    Danbatta, who was represented by the Head of Public Relations of the South East zonal office, Mr Rueben Mouka,  revealed that  internet penetration of about 90 million subscribers in the country.

    “This has brought the nation to more than 110 per cent teledensity.

    “With broadband penetration of 21 per cent, Nigeria’s social media space has continued to thrive and our citizens are enjoying access to modern ways of interactions in cyberspace,” he said.

    Danbatta said that the commission would continue to keep the nation abreast of developments in telecommunications industry through innovative and world class regulatory processes.

    He, however, regretted the activities of local and state authorities in the South East who deny telecommunication companies the right of way in the task of providing services.

    “We still notice a lot of challenges confronting the provision of services in this part of the country.

    “Issues of vandalisation of telecommunications equipment still abound. We call on the appropriate authorities to note that it amounts  to denial of our citizens rights to communications when we obstruct services.

    “There are some individuals who still believe that telecom masts and towers constitute health hazards to humans.

    The World Health Organisation has affirmed that no result of any such hazard has been established against base stations,” he said.

    Danabatta said that anyone that adduced such reasons to deny right of way to telecom companies and prevented them from expanding services was contributing to the poor quality of service in the network.

    He said that the issue of consumer empowerment and protection aimed at protecting consumers from unfair practices occupied a prominent place in the 8-point agenda of the commission.

    He said that the commission had dedicated 2017 for the resolution of complaints of consumers as a complement to their consumer parliament sessions and outreach programmes.

    “We have all mandated our zonal offices to take the messages down to the grassroots through a new interactive programme called ‘NCC Conversation’,” Danbatta said.

    In a remark, the President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Mr Ugochukwu Chime, said that the commission needed to do more in its regulatory operations.

    Chime said that in spite of the laudable achievements of the commission, “Yet, there remains a lot more that needs to be done to fully tap the potentials in this sector”.

     

  • QoS by telcos has improved – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said on Tuesday there has been considerable improvement in the Quality of Service (QoS) provided by telecommunication companies in the first quarter of 2017.

    The NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made the assertion shortly after the presentation of the NCC’s Performance Report by the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr. Joe Abah, to the management of the commission.

    Prof. Danbatta maintained that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that define QoS had been put in place for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) assessment.

    “The result of the assessment in the 1st quarter of 2017 has shown improvement in QoS by telecommunication companies,” the NCC chief stated.

    He, however, added that NCC would leave no stone unturned in its bid to provide the best for telecom consumers across the country.

    A statement signed by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, noted that “very strong business organizational structure, policies and practices that facilitate effective and efficient service delivery were some of the high points, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) considered before naming the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) top in institutional work processes in the country.”

    He said the Director General of BPSR also presented a plaque to Prof. Danbatta during the event at the NCC Headquarters in Abuja.

  • Nigerian telecom consumers spend $6.6 bn in 2016 – NCC

    Nigerian telecom consumers spend $6.6 bn in 2016 – NCC

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says Nigerian telecom consumers spend a whopping 6.6 billion dollars in 2016.

    Danbatta disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the  launched the NCC Year of Consumer.

    He said that in 2015, the Nigerian telecom consumers spent 5.6 billion dollars, adding that consumers’ contribution had made the success stories possible in the sector.

    “That’s why today’s event is remarkable. More remarkable is that the year 2017 is dedicated to the Nigerian Telecom Consumer,’’ he said.

    He said that NCC this year intended to inform and educate consumers with the sole aim of protecting and empowering them to make the right decisions.

    He said that a robust media programme would accompany the initiatives in this campaign through the year providing unique and timely information to all.

    “That is why in 2017, and I dare say and even beyond, the consumer will be our focus.

    “The NCC is mandated to monitor the quality of service and ensure it conforms to acceptable standard.

    “A management decision that compelled us to seek to amplify our activities toward ensuring that the consumer enjoys a customer experience that is enhanced and consistent in time and quality.

    “We must remember that these consumers together have made all the success stories speak about in the telecom industry today,“ he said

    According to him, the event is remarkable because the Nigeria Telecom Consumer is centre stage.

    As part of the launch, the commission announced Mr Ali Nuhu, an actor and producer popularly known as King of Kannywood of Hausa movies and Ms Helen Paul, a broadcaster and stand-up comedian as the “Face of the Nigerian Telecom Consumer“.

    The Ministry of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu said  that the ministry was working on formulating policies frameworks and guidelines on protecting ICT consumers.

    Shittu said that government had actively engaged key stakeholders working to ensure quality of service and consumer right.

    “Our goal is to fully balance between consumer rights and right to privacy.

    “Also to facilitating inter-Governmental Consultations on ICT matters to avoid unnecessary disparities in developmental structures and standards in Nigeria.

    “Government is also working to create digital awareness with the objective of increasing the capacity, confidence and trust Nigerians have in digital lives.

    “ICTs are invaluable to the process of governance, business, education, health among others,“ he said.

    Shittu said that government was increasing its adoption of ICT to provide better response to the citizens’ demands and improve service delivery to make administration more efficient.

    “I am delighted to be invited to be part of the celebration of the flagging off of the NCC 2017 year of the consumer.

    “This is timely in view of the fact that the date coincided with the Wold Consumer Right Day (WCRD) celebration.

  • ‘NCC contributed N1.4tr to economy’

    The Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the commission has contributed more than N1.4 trillion to the economy since its inception.

    Danbatta said this when he delivered the 46th Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,  on Thursday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    He said that policymakers needed to leverage on the potential of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sector to grow the economy.

    The NCC chief executive officer said the sector in recent times had shown massive potential and would be the needed elixir to turn the economy around for good.

    He challenged policymakers to facilitate the adoption of ICT infrastructure in addressing issues in agriculture, health, energy and education sectors.

    “It is in the interest of the country to harness potential that exist in the information-driven age to facilitate socio-economic development,” he said.

     

  • NCC advises consumers on short code for unsolicited messages

    NCC advises consumers on short code for unsolicited messages

    The Nigerian Telecommunication Commission (NCC) on Thursday advised consumers to take advantage of the 2442 shortcode to choose the type of messages they want to receive.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, gave the advice at the 79th Telecom Consumers Parliament help in Abuja.

    He said that the parliament, with its theme: Implementation of the `Do not Disturb’ (DND): the journey so far, was aimed at sensitising the public to the policy.

    Danbatta said that the shortcode would go a long way to giving consumers the right to choose the messages they wanted to receive.

    According to him, following the barrage of complaints on the menace of unsolicited messages, the commission swayed into action by mandating the activation of 2442 shortcode.

    “The code will enable consumers to control the type of messages they receive.

    “I am glad that it has come into effect and I urge all consumers to take advantage of this new regime by sending “stop to 2442’’ to avoid unsolicited messages,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said the commission was aware that for the initiative to succeed, there was the need for massive public enlightenment by both regulator and the operating companies.

    “It is in this regard that the theme of today’s parliament becomes relevant.

    “The objective is to place the issue on the front burner of our discourse until unsolicited messages become a thing of the past,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said the issue of consumer’s protection was very paramount to the commission, adding that consumers were kings in the marketplace.

    To uphold the principle, he said that the commission had put in place various programmes to inform, educate and protect the consumers of telecom service.

    Presenting a paper on the theme, Mr Ayoola Oke, a telecom consultant with NCC, called on operators to ensure full compliance with the 2442 shortcode.

    Oke said that one major challenge of the policy was the lack of awareness, hence the need for both the regulators and the telecom operators to be involved in massive publicity.

    He called for effective complaint management by the operators and network management to block spam and screen out malicious mails.

    Responding to questions on an outright ban on unsolicited messages, Mrs Amina Shehu, Head of Legal, NCC, said the complete ban was not possible because of the e-commerce system.

  • ‘Multiple taxation, others cripple telcos’

    ‘Multiple taxation, others cripple telcos’

    The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),  Prof. Umar  Danbatta, yesterday lamented that multiple taxation and regulation, constraints in securing approval for right of way (RoW) and others were taking tolls on the quality of telecoms services across the country.

    Speaking when he visited Governor Ibikunle Amosun at Oke Mosan Governor’s  Office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, he said cases of multiple taxation constitute threat to the operations and survival of the industry, appealing to Amosun to prevail on his colleague in Nigerian Governors’ Forum to lessen the crippling burden of multiple taxation on them.

    He said: “We have our worries about the continuous growth of the sector; there have been recurring cases of multiple taxation which threatens the operators and by extension telecoms services.

    “Various tiers of government,  including local councils and state government agencies have created enormous challenges to the sector and some of the agencies often threaten to shut down base transceivers stations (BTS) over alleged refusal of the telecoms’ companies to comply with a tax regime which the operators see as grossly excessive.”