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NCC initiates first 5G trial in West Africa
Nasiru Yusuf
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has made history as the first telecoms regulator in West Africa to conduct a trial of the Fifth Grade (5G) technology.
In a statement sent to KANO FOCUS, the NCC said it conducted the 5G network trial in three Nigerian cities comprising Abuja, Calabar and Lagos.
The commission assures that “the coming years can only be more exciting for Nigerians, who will, through 5G network deployment, have access to faster broadband speed to carry out personal and official activities, as this will bring about more efficiency, effectiveness and growth.”
Click this link to watch Video of NCC 5G Trial
Also Watch: NCC Promoting ICT Innovations for Economic Growth
Other achievements of the NCC, according to the statement are:
Protecting Nigerian lives through SIM registration
The statement revealed that the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC was commended in 2019 for providing effective leadership to pave way for the implementation of the Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) project.
“The NCC has activated and increased the number of operational ECC to 17 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital (FCT), Abuja – 18 ECC in all. The list includes: the FCT, Benue, Kwara, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Adamawa.
“Closely linked to the NCC’s efforts in implementing the ECC Project to boost Federal Government’s drive to promote security of lives and property, was also the Commission’s ongoing efforts towards sanitising the country’s SIM database for increased security in the country,” the statement read.
It added that in 2019, over 24 million invalidly-registered subscriber records were scrubbed (deduplicated) by the Commission via Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) in fulfilment of the mandate to establish a credible database of telephone subscribers.
“Subsequently, the commissioning of the National Emergency Toll-Free Number “112” and the Katsina State Emergency Communication Centre for the North West Zone was successfully carried out on September 23, 2019.
“Necessary preparations and arrangements are, however, ongoing towards ensuring successful launch/commissioning of such centres, including publicity and enlightenment in the remaining five (5) geopolitical zones and the FCT.
“The NCC under Dambatta was recognised as Nigeria’s goodwill Ambassador in security and emergency management as well as the award of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in security and emergency management.
“They received the awards earlier in December at the maiden Security and Emergency Management Awards hosted by the Emergency Digest, a publication of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, in conjunction with the Centre for Crisis Communication,” the NCC said.
Licensing of 10 VAS Aggregators
Following the development of its Value-Added Service (VAS) Aggregator Framework for the telecoms Value-Added Service (VAS) segment, the NCC, in 2019, awarded the VAS Aggregator licenses to 10 companies to provide aggregator services.
This will boost the competitiveness of the telecoms VAS segment of the telecommunications industry. It is also to unlock the huge potential of the telecoms VAS market, which has been estimated to be worth $500 million in the next few years.
The licensees are I-Cell Multimedia Limited, Nina-Jojer Limited, 21st Century Technologies Limited, Nitroswitch Limited, HML Consulting Limited, Iykejordan Limited, Cognys Systems Limited, Perpetual Communications Limited, Mobile Intelligence Limited and Aerandir Technologies Nigeria Limited.”
Regularising commercial satellites operations
In line with the relevant provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NAC), 2003, the NCC, in 2019, regularised the activities of all satellite operators including Space station operators as well as Earth Station operators; as well as issued Landing permits to Space Stations beaming signals over Nigerian territory.
“To this end, the NCC, in June, 2019, granted its first landing right permit (licence for satellite internet) to Avanti Communications Groups Plc, a United Kingdom-based satellite operator, for hosting of its HYLAS 4 Satellite specie segment over Nigerian territory.
“The landing permit, which is the first of its kind in satellite communications in Nigeria, implies authorisation that allows operators to beam its signal over the territorial integrity of a country.”
Improving quality of telecoms’ network service
In line with its continuous commitment to ensuring that telecoms operators deliver consistently improved QoS to their over 179 million subscribers, the NCC, in the course of 2019, embarked on a series of initiatives that have relatively helped in boosting the quality of service delivery across mobile networks.
Through continuous monitoring of operators’ compliance with the Key Performance Indicator (KPS) on Quality of service (QOS) on a state-by-state level, as against measuring operators’ compliance on a national average basis, the regulator helped to boost QoS delivery in this regards.
Increased consumer protection
Stepping up measures with respect of consumer complaints resolution was one initiative the Commission took very seriously in 2019.
For instance, the Commission revised its Consumer Complaints & Service Level Agreement (CC/SLA) to improve consumer complaint management and resolution in a more promptly manner by the service providers.
Similar efforts championed by the Danbatta-led NCC in the course of 2019 towards addressing consumer issues, was the inauguration of a multi-sectoral committee to combat the issue of financial frauds using telecoms or digital platforms.
More importantly, the thematic direction of the NCC’s Open Forum of the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) for the of fourth quarter of 2019 was targeted at addressing areas of protection for the consumers with respect to financial frauds committed by criminals using telecoms platforms.
Headlines
“As You Sow, So Shall You Reap”: Imam Reminds Muslims of Divine Justice
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Imam Nura Garba Mato has urged Muslims to remain conscious of their actions, saying that divine reward and punishment often correspond to the nature of people’s deeds.
KANO FOCUS reports that the imam made the call while delivering a Friday sermon at Jami’u Ansar wal Muhajirun Jumaa Mosque, Cotton Ginnery Layout, Zawaciki, Kano State.
The sermon, titled “Al-Jazā’u Min Jinsil-‘Amal” (Recompense Is According to the Nature of Deeds), focused on the Islamic teaching that people’s actions have consequences and that good deeds attract divine reward.
Imam Mato said Allah had established enduring principles in human life that do not change, urging Muslims to understand these principles and allow them to guide their conduct.
He explained that one of these principles was that recompense corresponds to the nature of one’s actions, stressing the importance of living righteously and fulfilling one’s responsibilities to Allah and fellow human beings.
The imam called on Muslims to observe *taqwa* (consciousness of Allah), remain steadfast in their faith and follow the teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He also highlighted the importance of helping people in difficulty, easing the burdens of others and showing compassion to fellow Muslims.
Quoting a prophetic tradition, the imam emphasised that whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship in this world will receive relief from Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
He further explained that whoever conceals the faults of a fellow Muslim would receive Allah’s concealment of their faults on the Day of Resurrection, while those who make things easier for people in difficulty would receive Allah’s assistance in this world and the Hereafter.
The sermon also underscored the importance of supporting others, noting that a Muslim’s relationship with Allah should be reflected in their treatment of fellow human beings.
Imam Mato urged Muslims to reflect on their deeds and recognise that their conduct carries consequences, encouraging them to embrace good actions, assist those in need and uphold the teachings of Islam in their daily lives.
He stressed that Muslims should make righteousness, compassion and service to others central to their lives in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter.
Headlines
Kano Govt Orders Retired Civil Servants to Vacate Offices, Hand Over Government Property
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has directed all civil servants who have attained their statutory retirement age or completed the required length of service to immediately vacate their offices and hand over government property in their possession.
KANO FOCUS reports that the directive was contained in Circular issued on Tuesday by the Establishment Directorate, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Abba A. Danguguwa, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, was titled: “Unauthorized Continuance in Service After Statutory Retirement by Civil Servants in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government – Call for Immediate Handing Over of Official Documents, Properties.”
The government said it had observed that some civil servants continued to remain in office and operate in official capacities after reaching their statutory retirement period.
According to the circular, such conduct was a “negation to the reputation of the Civil Service of Kano State,” noting that the service had a long-standing tradition of ensuring seamless transition by retiring civil servants.
It described the continued stay in service after retirement as a direct infraction and aberration of relevant provisions of the State Civil Service Rules and other applicable service regulations.
The government stressed that it was legally and administratively untenable for any officer to remain in service or perform official functions beyond the statutory limit.
Consequently, all civil servants who had retired either by age or length of service were directed to immediately exit and hand over all official documents, government property and duties to their immediate subordinates in their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
The circular also directed all Accounting Officers, including Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives, as well as Directors of Administration and Personnel Management, to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the directive.
It warned that any officer found aiding, abetting or condoning the continued stay of a retired officer in service would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.
The directive takes immediate effect, the circular stated.
Headlines
Kano Settles N32bn Pension, Gratuity Liabilities, Says Gov Yusuf
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf says his administration has settled approximately N32 billion out of the N48 billion inherited backlog of gratuities and related liabilities owed to retirees in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gov Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while addressing residents at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.
The governor said the government had also sustained the regular payment of monthly pensions while increasing the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000.
He said the welfare of workers and pensioners remained a priority of his administration, citing timely payment of salaries, improved remuneration and measures aimed at strengthening the public service.
According to him, the state has maintained the practice of paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month while implementing the N71,000 minimum wage for civil servants.
Gov Yusuf also said his administration was sponsoring public servants for professional training, including programmes at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), to strengthen their administrative and leadership capacity.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a professional and motivated workforce, while ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of serving workers and retirees were recognised and treated with dignity.
