The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has restated its commitment to the implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order, which criminalises damaging or tampering of critical national infrastructure, particularly telecom facilities, in the country.
The commission’s Head, Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, who made this remark when a team of the Executive of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory Council, led by its chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, paid a visit to the management of the NCC at its headquarters in Abuja, said the enforcement of the Presidential Order would help in addressing the rising incidents of vandalism, theft, and obstruction at telecom sites that are degrading network service quality across Nigeria.
According to her, the enforcement initiative followed the President’s June 24, 2024 Executive Order designating all telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), providing a robust legal framework to protect the vital assets and ensure uninterrupted telecoms service delivery nationwide
Ukoha, who hosted the NUJ team on behalf of the NCC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida, expressed the commission’s concern over the rising incidents of attacks on telecom assets such as fibre cables and other components.
- Advertisement -
She pointed out that with the Executive Order of the President, the commission had been tasked with implementing this Executive order in the telecom sector, adding that as a result, it has launched a public awareness campaign about the importance of protecting the facilities, which include energy and transport infrastructure.
Ukoha explained: “The Commission identified three major challenges affecting telecom operations: Vandalism and theft: Frequent attacks resulting in cutting of cables, stolen generators and fuel, and removal of critical components, severely impacting service for millions.
“Site access denial: Telecom operators often face obstruction from local communities, touts, and government agencies demanding fees, delaying maintenance and refuelling of generators. Road Construction Related Damages: Construction work often results in fibre being damaged”, she added
On public concerns about data depletion, the NCC spokesperson maintained that mobile network operators (MNOs) were not stealing subscribers’ internet data subscriptions as being insinuated.
She clarified: “Data consumption is often due to users’ phone and app management, such as automatic updates, background app refresh, and hotspot sharing.
“Users should monitor data usage, disable background updates, understand their data plans, change hotspot passwords regularly, and avoid high-resolution downloads and auto-play settings” Ukoha added.
She commended Nigerian journalists for their role in educating the public and called for continued collaboration between the NCC and the NUJ to share accurate information.
While speaking on NCC’s efforts to support underserved areas with affordable internet access and to train journalists, especially senior editors, in Lagos and Abuja, the NCC spokesperson said the NCC was revving up its collaborating with stakeholders to reduce accidental damage to telecom infrastructure, especially fibre, during road and other construction activities nationwide.
Earlier in her remarks, the NUJ Chairman for the FCT expressed the union’s desire to strengthen its partnership with the NCC on training, public awareness, affordable internet access for journalists, and promoting transparency.
Ike commended the NCC’s leadership in regulating the industry and harped on the importance of improving journalists’ access to digital tools.
She also solicited the NCC’s support for NUJ FCT’s upcoming Press Week and other capacity-building activities of the union.
