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NCC resolves 17,851 consumer complaints in 2019
Nasiru Yusuf
The Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has successfully resolved 19,841 consumer complaints in 2019.
The Executive Vice chairman of the commission, Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta disclosed this while highlighting the success recorded by the commission in 2019.
He said the figure represent 90% of 19,841 complaints the commission received from telecommunications consumers across its various consumer complaints channel.
“Specifically, a total of 18, 717 complaints were lodged through the NCC Contact Centre by the customers to the Commission with a larger percentage satisfactorily solved.
“Based on their satisfaction with all these facilities provided for them to resolve their issues, a total of 19,345 satisfied consumers sent notes of commendation/appreciation to the Commission through calls made to the NCC Contact Centre and e-mails received via the NCC Consumer Portal. All of these were to appreciate the various regulatory interventions that helped in satisfactorily resolving their telecoms service-related issues,” Mr Dambatta said.
According to him in 2019, exposure to unsolicited text messages by the consumers has declined drastically through the popularisation by the Commission and the resultant activation of the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) Short Code 2442 facility by the subscribers.
He said so far, a total of 22,356, 919 subscribers have now activated the DND service either fully or partially.
Telecommunications listing on NSE
The executive vice chairman also revealed that, one of the remarkable achievements of the NCC in 2019 which has not only impacted the industry but also bolstered the entire economy was the Commission’s regulatory efforts in listing of MTN and Airtel Africa on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Prof. Dambatta, said “The MTN listing has helped to translate into action, an important objective of the Commission, which is to promote local investment and ownership in the telecom sector. Also, with MTN’s shares available in the capital market, it is expected that Nigerians will buy shares and by purchasing the shares of MTN, they will be financially empowered and be socially transformed.”
According to him, “One of the benefits of MTN listing and those of other operators to follow, therefore, is that the telecommunications company would be able to raise more capital for network expansion which, in turn, will bring about an improvement in the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) for the consumers of telecoms services, which is also a cardinal function of the Commission.”
He said NSE and shareholder bodies have commended the effort of the NCC in making the capital market more resilient through facilitating the listing of MTN, a move that was fallout of the conditions it gave MTN following its violation of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration rule.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state government said the administration of former Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso left a liability of N54, 408, 259, 638.05 billion for the five kilometre road projects across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Kano Focus reports that the state commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba dropped the hint on Sunday while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the state Executive Council Meeting held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano.
He said the council received the report of the Technical Committee to assess the 5 km road projects all of which were awarded by the previous administration under the defunct Ministry of Land and Physical Planning with the state Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) as supervising agency.
Mr Garba said the committee visited 39 local governments where its detailed report indicated awarded contract sum for the projects, present site conditions, value of executed works, amount certified and amount released for the projects.
The commissioner pointed out that 5km projects in three local governments were revoked and rewarded due to non-performance in Warawa, Ungogo and Dawakin Tofa, while some portions of the projects in Tsanyawa and Bichi along Kano-Katsina road were released to the federal ministry of works and housing based on request from the federal government.
He said other three projects in Rimin Gado, Karaye and Bunkure local government that fall within main arterial highway were expunged from the main project and re-awarded separately for execution, while metropolitan local governments of Dala, Nassarawa, Gwale, Municipal and Tarauni were allotted various projects within the municipality as 5km projects.
Mr Garba pointed out that the council has approved the release of N607, 124, 663.47 million for the rehabilitation of Rimin Gado-Sabon Fegi-Jilli-Gulu road in Rimin Gado local government.
The commissioner stated that approval has also been given by the council for the conversion of the existing School of Post Basic Midwifery Gezawa to the status of School of Nursing Gezawa to broaden the platform for training of more qualified midwives in order to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has approved the domestication of National social protection policy in the state.
Kano Focus reports that the Social Protection Policy is designed to show the commitment of the Government to the effective mobilisation and efficient utilisation of state resources to improve the quality of life of its citizens.
The state Commissioner of planning and budget Nura Muhammad Dankadai revealed this on Friday at a one day interactive session with with journalists and civil society organizations.
Alhaji Nura Muhammad Dankadai
Mr Dankadai said governor Ganduje approved the domestication of the policy on Thursday.
According to him when domesticated the policy will provide legal framework for school feeding programme, ante natal and post natal care, addressing gender based violence and protecting people living with disabilities.
On the meeting with journalists, Mr Dankadai said it was aimed at intimating them with on the state government’s projects and received some inputs for possible submission to the government.
The commissioner uses the opportunity to appeal to civil society organizations and journalists to sensitise people on the current economic challenges which made it difficult for the state to pay workers salary for the month of March.
In their separate contributions Akibu Hamisu, I. G Maryam and Wali Ado Rano advised Kano state government on the need to address multiple taxation, grant local government financial autonomy and holding periodic interactive session with CSOs and journalists.
Nasiru Yusuf
The management of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has visited the Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communication Commission Umar Garba Danbatta.
Kano Focus reports that during the visit the AKTH team also presented an award to Danbatta as an expression of the hospital’s appreciation for the enormous contributions of the EVC and the Commission to the development of health institutions over the years in the country.
Speaking during the visit, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of AKTH, Abdulrahman Sheshe, who led the delegation on the courtesy call, said, “the objective of our being here today is to appreciate your contribution in person and as EVC of NCC to the growth and development of the teaching hospital.”
According to Sheshe, through the support and donations from Kano people like the EVC and institutions like NCC, the hospital has increased its bed capacity from 250 to 700, as well as performing 57 successful transplant surgeries.
“You have also made enormous contributions in this regard and that has helped us to get new dialysis machines through your assistance and these machines are being put to use, aside from other state-of-the-art equipment already in place,” he said while appreciating the EVC.
The CMD, however, sought NCC’s support in the area of a Health Information Management System (HIMS) and digital capacity for staff.
Responding, however, Danbatta thanked the hospital management for the visit and the award, noting that the Commission supports federal institutions with necessary ICT equipment across the country and is ready to assist AKTH in this regard.
Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta
“As a Commission, we are working to bridge the infrastructure divide, which is an element of the entire digital ecosystem. We do this via a lot of ongoing regulatory initiatives. And, through our training arm, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), we provide digital literacy to critical sectors of the economy, including the health sector, we also intervene through our Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme,” he said.
According to Danbatta, digital divide can be bridged by making computers available and ICT services accessible to people and key sectors of the economy.
Danbatta (middle) flanked by top management committee of AKTH and NCC staff during the courtesy visit
“Infrastructure that can host this massive flow of information and knowledge is broadband infrastructure and this is top-most in the agenda of the Commission. Indeed, ICT is transforming every sector of the economy and the earlier we embrace the vast opportunity brought by ICT the better,” the EVC pointed out.
Kwankwaso left over N50bn liability for LGs 5km projects – Kano Govt
Kano domesticate social protection policy
‘Yan sanda a Kano sun kama makocin da ya jagoranci yiwa makocinsa fashi
Gwamnatin Kano ta bada umarnin rufe gidajen Abinci da na Biredi
Meet unsung court registrar, Ustaz Sunusi Khalifa
Gwamnatin Kano ta bada umarnin rufe gidajen Abinci da na Biredi
‘Yan sanda a Kano sun kama makocin da ya jagoranci yiwa makocinsa fashi
Meet unsung court registrar, Ustaz Sunusi Khalifa
Ramadan: ‘Yan kasuwa a Kano sunce ba za a samu hauhawar kayan masarufi ba
