GSM operators: NECA accuses NCC of feeding fat on consumers’ misery

NIGERIA Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, has accused the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, of feeding fat on the poor service delivering by GSM operators, saying money paid by operators as sanction by NCC should be used for improvement of infrastructure if it cannot be refunded to consumers. The umbrella body for employers in the country speaking through its Director-General, Mr.Segun Oshinowo, decried the manner in which some government regulatory agencies especially NCC and Consumer Protection Council, CPC, sanction private sector employers and spending money realize from the sanction without accountability is not good for the industry. NECA warned that the activities of some of these regulatory agencies were stalling wealth creation and hurting the economy. Oshinowo, who also spoke on some critical socio-economic issues, faulted the ways some the regulatory agencies sanctioned and pressurise employers, without spending the money realized from the sanction to improve the infrastructure or reimbursing consumers who suffered the poor services delivered. Three major telecommunications firms in the country, MTN Nigeria, Globacom and Airtel were recently sanctioned by NCC for the violation of key performance indicators (KPIs) and poor quality of service for the month of January 2014. The affected GSM operators are expected to pay N647.5 million for the breach. According to Oshinowo “The truth is that private sector is key to the development agenda of this country. If we don’t get it right, we will simply not see the benefits of development. For any country to make development three factors are key. These are leadership, institution and policies. For us, appropriate institutions must be on ground. Regulatory agencies are part of institutions set up to achieve certain objectives and they are backed by an act of parliament. However, not all these agencies are working in a way that will support the development of this country. Some have turned into money collection/money making ventures. We believe in celebrating those who are doing well and give reasons why some are not doing well. We are not averse to regulatory agencies but want to make sure standards are maintained.