NCC develops initiatives to empower consumers with information, education on rights’ protection

The Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has developed a series of initiatives aimed at empowering consumers with appropriate information and education that will ensure their rights, privileges and interests are adequately protected. Th e Director, Consumer Aff airs, Bureau of the commission, Mrs Felicia Chulam, disclosed this at the 40th edition of consumers town hall meeting in Billiri Local Government Area, Gombe State recently.

The director, who was represented by her deputy, Alhaji Ismail Adedigba, said that consumer information and education are identified by the commission as one of the most cost-effective mechanisms that provides and guarantees consumer empowerment and education. According to her, “Beside serving as a proactive way of protecting consumers from making wrong choices, it also serves as a preventive measure that protects consumers from being exploited and against fraud.”

She said some of the initiatives included organising outreach programmes such as Telcom consumer parliament, consumer outreach programme and town hall meeting. Others were dissemination of consumer education via fact sheet, information dissemination via consumer web portal and responding to enquiries via NCC call centre on toll-free number — 622. Chulam said it is only through information and education that the consumers can be empowered to take the right decisions. “These rights include but not limited to; the right to receive correct information on services they subscribed to, the right to be provided with clear, complete, and accurate information with a language that will be understood. “This would guide them to make informed decision on products and services offered to them,” he said. In his remarks, the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhaji Adedigba, said the programme would enable a tripartite meeting of regulators, operators and consumers with a view to resolving pressing consumer issues with respect to the provision of telcoms service.

He said that the commission had taken appropriate steps to address major complaints from consumers. According to him, some of the steps were the development of 2442 DND short code to solve unsolicited text message and calls; issuance of direction to service on Data Roll to enable consumers roll over unused data for a period of one to seven days depending on data plan with effect from June 26, 2018. Other steps on forceful subscription of data services and value added services direct service providers to desist from forceful and automatic renewal of data services without prior consent of subscribers with effect from May 2018. Mr Jide Abdul’azeez, Chairman Wheel of Hope, a consumer advocacy group, Abuja, also expressed the need for the conferences, seminars, workshops and town hall meetings to be conducted by the service providers to complement the NCC effort. According to him, this is provoking deep thought for consumers about the advantage of service outreach initiatives being delivered for their own benefits. A cross section of the network providers assured the people that it will comply with all the directives and provide effective service delivery for their respective customers in the country.