TO further empower consumers of telecommunications services in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission has set up machinery to review the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations of 2007.This move, according to NCC, was aimed at curtailing sharp practices identified with some telecommunications service providers in the country.To achieve this, the commission has established an Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF), in collaboration with other industry stakeholders such as the Consumer Protection Council, the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association of Nigeria, telecoms advocacy bodies, as well as, other key consumer advocacy representatives in the country.Speaking at the first open forum of ICAF in Lagos on Tuesday, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said the forum would act in advisory capacity and make recommendations to the telecommunications regulator regarding the interest and concerns of consumers of Information and Communications Technology products and services including persons with disabilities and the elderly.Besides, Juwah explained that this move by the NCC came from investigation conducted with the discovery of some sharp practices in the industry, which negates the tenets operators pledged to abide by, 'consumer constitutes a major stakeholder in telecoms industry and as such, enjoys a primary focus at the commission.'He added that it is a core responsibility of the commission to see that the industry at all times satisfies the various needs of consumers where possible.As such Juwah said whether in establishing call centres, providing computers and internet facilities in schools, ensuring the operators deal promptly with consumer queries and requirements, holding consumer Town Hall meetings, developing an NCC consumer contact centre, conducting SIM card registration exercise across the country, facilitating number portability, supporting the various consumer advocacy groups are all efforts geared towards ensuring that consumers are better served.'Consequently, the ICAF initiative is therefore very much in keeping with the focus of NCC, which remains that as the regulator, we must ensure that the interest of the consumer is at all times protected,' he added.Chairman of ICAF and Director General of Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Ify Umenyi noted that the creation of ICAF by the NCC is recognition of consumers as a major stakeholder in the telecoms industry.She noted that the composition of ICAF comprising consumers, operators, the academia, non-governmental organisation and all other members of society, is a reflection of the seriousness that NCC laces on consumer issues.According to her, in as much as ICAF is representative of the Nigerian society, it has been though wise to make the fourth quarter meeting of ICAF an open forum with a view to harnessing firsthand the views of all those affected in one way of the other by problems in the sector.This, she said, would avail ICAF members with all shades of opinions in carrying out the Herculean task of advising the NCC and preferring appropriate suggestions to some nagging problems in the telecoms sector.She also pointed out that government in recent time has placed high premium on effectively customer delivery in all sectors of the economy.According to her, only last week, and as part of an investigative session, House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, invited CPC, the NCC and other regulatory bodies to, among other, explain the dearth of quality customer service delivery and consumer protection in Nigeria.'This is an indication that the people, particularly our policy makers, are becoming more concerned about the condition of our consumers and the way manner we work towards protecting consumers interest in Nigeria. This behoves all of us, particularly operators, to do all that we can do to minimise the hardships faced by consumers in the marketplace,' she added.Speaking, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Company of Nigeria, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu said while the telecoms service providers have continuously invested in network to provide better quality service for the consumers, the operating environment has been making the quality a little bit difficult for them.Listing expectations from the industry players to drive customer centric situation, the ATCON president said there is need for continuous research and market study deliberate attention to customers' inadequacies, deliberate attention to people with disability, and discriminatory tariff, not occasioned by promos but by requirements of consumers.Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, member, National Assembly, Committee on Communications, commended NCC for taking the initiative to protect consumers.Omidiran said that the Committee would give all the support it can to ensure that consumers are rightfully protected.
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