NCC: 8 Million Subscribers Access Unsolicited Toll-free Lines

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Thursday in Enugu State said no fewer than eight million telecoms’ consumers now subscribe to unsolicited message platform (toll-free line) as against one million subscribers as at December 2016.

  

The commission said the rise was sequel to its various consumer enlightenment campaigns which according to them had started yielding dividends.

 The Director of Public of Public Affairs of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, made the disclosure at the 35th edition of Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM) held at Obollo-Afor, Udenu Local Government Area headquarters in the state.

Ojobo, who was represented by the Head Media and Public Relations of NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, said the commission is making an impact as a government agency that does not only think about the consumers but interacts with them with a view to getting valuable feedback which forms part of input in regulations that the govern the industry. 

"The return has been very huge in terms of the way people attend and want to listen to what we are saying...We are talking about unsolicited messages which as at December 2016, we have one million subscribing to it, but today we have eight million. 

"The kind of questions we get in this kind of event has reduced; there used to be huge line of people with different complaints, but by few the questions asked, you would know that our objective of sending information out, interacting with consumers on how to better their services is being received.

  "NCC is making an impact as one government agency that thinks about the consumer, not just thinking about the consumer in its regulation, but goes out to the field to take a feel of the consumers; listens their experiences with which they articulate the regulations on how to better the industry," he said.

The Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau in the Commission, Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ismail Adedigba, said the event was a tripartite meeting among regulators, operators and consumers to resolve pressing consumer's issues as they relate to provision of telecoms services. 

He said the programme was designed to educate consumer of telecoms services on their basic rights and privileges as well as creating awareness on various issues relating to provision and usage of telecoms services. 

The Chairman of Udenu Local Government Area (local divestment), Mr. Frank Ugwu, expressed happiness that the enlightenment campaign took place at his council, and urged residents to take advantage of the programme to  ask questions bothering them.