The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that over 50,000 cases of major damages to telecom infrastructure and facilities were recorded across the country in the past five years, raising alarm over the implications of the unsavoury incidents to the quality of telecommunications services in the country.
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who made this disclosure at the 2022 edition of Youth Civil Society and Stakeholders Summit (YCSSS), held at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja, expressed concerns over how the incidents had continued to negatively impact on the Quality of Experience, (QoE) of consumers and appealed to members of the public and security agencies to help stem the tide.
Represented at the forum by the Head, Corporate Communication Unit of the Commission, Mrs. Nnena Ukoha, the EVC lamented that incessant vandalism of telecom equipment in form of fibre cuts, theft of telecom facilities like generators at sites, vandalism of base stations, among other vices, had become a major burden on the service providers just as telecom consumers continued to suffer unwarranted disruptions of services.
He said: “The impact of vandalism of infrastructure is felt by all in the quality of services rendered, as it results in increasing drop calls, data and Internet connectivity disruptions, aborted and undelivered short messaging services (SMS), as well as countless failed calls.”
Danbatta noted that given the fact that the ability to connect and communicate remained fundamental to human existence, improvement in businesses processes, government services, education, as well as social and family networking through seamless connections, every community should get involved in protecting the critical infrastructure that makes these services possible.
He explained: “Therefore, as a community, you are expected to report cases of vandalism of telecoms infrastructure to the nearest law enforcement agencies such as the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and also share adequate information received from NCC with your family, friends, and neighbours.
“We believe, with your cooperation as critical stakeholders in the telecoms sector, we can all work with the law enforcement authorities in protecting telecom infrastructure in your community”, the EVC added.
