Information, education key to consumer protection – NCC

 The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said information and education are important for consumer protection. The commission at the 34th edition of Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM) themed, “Information and Education as Catalyst for Consumer Protection” in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, also said the most important stakeholders of the telecommunication industry is the consumers, because they help promote the patronage of telecommunications services, and as such must be given cognizance as regards to their needs and demand. Speaking at the forum, the Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta said the forum seeks to educate telecom consumers about how best to make use of the telecommunication services for social, economic advantages and gains. Represented by Alhaji Ismail Adedigba, NCC’s Deputy Director Consumer Affairs Bureau, Prof Danbatta noted that the theme for the CTM was carefully chosen to reÀ ect one of the cardinal objectives of the commission of ensuring the protection of telecom consumers from market exploitation and empowering them to make rational and informed decision when making choices of services. He said: “The Nigerian Communications Commision as a regulatory agency develops various programmes to empower consumers. One of such is the Consumer Town Hall Meeting. The program is a tripartite meeting between regulators operators and consumers to resolve pressing consumer’s issue as it relates to provision of telecom services. “The Commission stepped up programmes aimed at empowering and protecting telecom Consumers with focus on the key drivers such as awareness on 622 toll free line to lodge complains to NCC and the 2442 short code to stop unsolicited messages with great emphasis on Quality of Service improvement.” Listing initiatives by the commission to ensure that telecoms consumer is well protected, informed and educated, the EVC said the Commission organizes outreach programmes across the country, and disseminates consumer education via fact sheets; consumer web portal; interaction via social media like twitter and Facebook. He further highlighted service providers responsibilities to consumers to help them make informed decision on products and services as well as ensure that information provided to consumers is relevant, current, accurate and timely. He said it was important to ensure that consumers could reliably and easily had access to information that could assist them in making an informed choice; and should be given the choice of receiving information in any language they can understand. Also at the forum, the Director Consumer Affairs Bureau, Abdullahi Maikano, said the event was aimed at ensuring con sumers had value for their mon ey through effective service delivery and it also served as feedback mechanism for the commission in making regulatory interventions for the benefit of the consumers and service providers as well as the industry as a whole. He added that the commission is determined to en sure that the telecom consumer is informed, educated and protected from market exploitation as well as to empower them to make rational and informed decision when mak ing choices of service. While presenting “Wheel of Hope Consumer Advocacy” on behalf of consumers, Jide Abdulazeez, averred that service providers must realize the need to provide certain information and education to the consumers in order to serve them better, adding that it is a known fact that consumer determine the market. He said protection of the consumers is tantamount to market expansion, sustainability and protection, and that a protected market is a sustainable market which will ensure revenue generation for the service providers. “There is need to disclose all facts that relate to the services rendered, these must include the terms and conditions for the consumers to enjoy the services provided. The actual price list and fees for enjoying a particular service must be disclosed and other operational services available for the consumer spelt out”, he said.