Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to as a matter of urgency immediately work hand in hand with telecom operators to ensure a downward review of the price of data in Nigeria.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Pantami gave the directive shortly after being briefed by the commission on the progress made in the implementation of the Short-Term Performance targets set for it to achieve.
Recall that early last month, the Minister had directed that the commission bring to an end the issue of sales of pre-registered, unregistered and partially-registered SIM cards; stem the tide of illegal deduction of the data of subscribers and work towards the downward review of the cost of data; and ensure compliance with the maximum 2% Call Drop Rate directive to telecom operators.
According to a statement signed by Yusuf Abubakar, Personal Assistant to the Minister of Communications (New Media), the move was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari directives to ensure that all agencies under the supervision of a ministry are effective, efficient and accountable in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, according to a report from UK-based price comparison website – Cable, Nigeria is not among the top 10 African countries with low average price of data, a position the Minister of Communications finds worrisome considering the fact that the country has over 174 Million internet users according to the report made public by the NCC.
Similarly, the Minister also finds it unacceptable that with the prevailing high cost of data in Nigeria, the citizens still do not enjoy value for money as subscribers’ battle daily with illegal deduction of data, poor Quality of Service (QoS), among others.
It is on this backdrop that the Minister directed NCC, the telecom regulators to as a matter of urgency immediately work hand in hand with the telecom operators and ensure they are a downward review of the price of data in Nigeria, improved quality of service provided and also checkmate the illegal deduction of subscribers’ data.
Pantami also reminded NCC that as a regulator, their major priority should be protecting the interest of Nigerians, and urged them to uphold professionalism and diligence in the discharge of their official responsibilities.
In the same vein, the Communications Minister also directed Galaxy Backbone Plc, a government-owned Information Technology service provider to think out of the box, leverage on the advantages it has as a government-funded entity to deliver effective and efficient services to Nigerians, and in turn attract more revenue for the government.
The Minister reminded Galaxy that the Nigerian government invested in it to reap the dividend of its investment, consequently, the Minister Challenged Galaxy to ensure more Ministries (,) Department (and) Agencies (MDA) are patronizing it services, stressing that excuses would not be accepted or tolerated.
The Minister further urged Galaxy to work hand in hand with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to expand its reach and take advantage of NITDA’s regulatory authority.
Recall that early last month, the Minister directed Galaxy to improve the reach and coverage of its services in the public sector; and significantly improve the quality of services provided.
Dr Pantami also notified the Chief Executives that the scorecard of their performance on Short-Term Targets and new targets will be sent to them for implementation, while maintaining that Nigeria as a nation can only grow if the citizens patronize what she produces and also produce what she needs.
Meanwhile, NCC tabled challenges of the operators which includes vandalism of telecom infrastructures, inadequate power supply, right of way, hooliganism, multiple taxations among others and used the opportunity to call for the swift intervention of the Minister to address the issues.
The Federal Ministry of Communications is a Ministry created to foster a knowledge-based economy and information society in Nigeria, it was conceived to facilitate ICT as a key tool in the transformation agenda for Nigeria in the areas of job creation, economic growth and transparency of governance.