Worried by the poor state of telecoms
services in the country, with Lagos State in particular, the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) is seeking the support of Lagos State
Government to put an end to the challenge.
According to NCC, Lagos State became a focal point because of the position it occupies in voice and data communications in the country, and constitutes a major subscriber population to telecommunications services.
NCC said the state commands more than 15 per cent of active subscriptions in the country, which include internet subscriptions for corporate and premium mobile, but the commission is worried that telecoms operating companies in the state are faced with myriad of challenges that are affecting service quality in Lagos and other neighbouring states, which prompted the visit.
NCC made the disclosure, when a team led by the Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, paid a courtesy visit to Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, at the state house recently.
The visit which was cherished by the governor, seeks to address grey areas affecting smooth telecoms service offerings in the country, and the state in particular.
According to Juwah, "It is important to reiterate that the quality of services in Lagos, and indeed, other parts of the country, is not desirable. Some of the challenges contributing to this are enormous but are gradually being surmounted. Some of them are well beyond the scope of the regulator, but we are assiduously tackling those within our regulatory powers and hope that in the near future, with the networks investing more heavily, we will overcome the challenges."
Responding, Fashola said the visit was long overdue, owing to the importance of telecommunications in the country, especially in Lagos, that accommodates majority of the operators and their subscribers. "The meeting would have come many years ago, but it is good there is visible collaboration between the commission and the Lagos government," Fashola said.
He thanked the NCC for believing in the contributions of Lagos State to telecoms activities, and for acknowledging the fact that telecommunications and regulation are multi-jurisdictional that also require the input of the state government. The governor promised to work closely with NCC in addressing some of the challenges faced by telecoms operators in the state, but insisted that operators must respect the views of the state in regulating physical structures in the state, which he said, covered telecommunication masts and towers.
On the issue of wilful destruction of telecoms facilities in the state and in other parts of the country, Governor Fashola said it was impossible for the federal government and its agencies to monitor everything in the country, including telecoms facilities, and reiterated the need to decentralise the activities of the police and allow states have and control their own police force, for better policing in the country.
Other impediments militating against service quality as listed by Juwah, include right of way issues, multiple taxes, delay in granting approval for the installation of telecoms facilities, among others.
Given the scenario of infrastructure deficit in the country, as a result of destructions carried out on telecoms facilities, the situation on ground becomes very discouraging as some of the service providers depend on very few base stations to serve the populace, Juwah lamented.
According to NCC, Lagos State became a focal point because of the position it occupies in voice and data communications in the country, and constitutes a major subscriber population to telecommunications services.
NCC said the state commands more than 15 per cent of active subscriptions in the country, which include internet subscriptions for corporate and premium mobile, but the commission is worried that telecoms operating companies in the state are faced with myriad of challenges that are affecting service quality in Lagos and other neighbouring states, which prompted the visit.
NCC made the disclosure, when a team led by the Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, paid a courtesy visit to Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, at the state house recently.
The visit which was cherished by the governor, seeks to address grey areas affecting smooth telecoms service offerings in the country, and the state in particular.
According to Juwah, "It is important to reiterate that the quality of services in Lagos, and indeed, other parts of the country, is not desirable. Some of the challenges contributing to this are enormous but are gradually being surmounted. Some of them are well beyond the scope of the regulator, but we are assiduously tackling those within our regulatory powers and hope that in the near future, with the networks investing more heavily, we will overcome the challenges."
Responding, Fashola said the visit was long overdue, owing to the importance of telecommunications in the country, especially in Lagos, that accommodates majority of the operators and their subscribers. "The meeting would have come many years ago, but it is good there is visible collaboration between the commission and the Lagos government," Fashola said.
He thanked the NCC for believing in the contributions of Lagos State to telecoms activities, and for acknowledging the fact that telecommunications and regulation are multi-jurisdictional that also require the input of the state government. The governor promised to work closely with NCC in addressing some of the challenges faced by telecoms operators in the state, but insisted that operators must respect the views of the state in regulating physical structures in the state, which he said, covered telecommunication masts and towers.
On the issue of wilful destruction of telecoms facilities in the state and in other parts of the country, Governor Fashola said it was impossible for the federal government and its agencies to monitor everything in the country, including telecoms facilities, and reiterated the need to decentralise the activities of the police and allow states have and control their own police force, for better policing in the country.
Other impediments militating against service quality as listed by Juwah, include right of way issues, multiple taxes, delay in granting approval for the installation of telecoms facilities, among others.
Given the scenario of infrastructure deficit in the country, as a result of destructions carried out on telecoms facilities, the situation on ground becomes very discouraging as some of the service providers depend on very few base stations to serve the populace, Juwah lamented.
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