Nigerians have been
urged to ensure that they protect telecoms infrastructural facilities within their environs from all forms of vandalisation and destruction.
The call  was made in Lagos on Monday by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Garba Dambatta while speaking to newsmen after a roadshow organized by the commission to sensitise the populace on the need to protect telecoms facilities against vandalism and destruction.
Dambatta said telecommunication remains one of the biggest dividend earner to the country since the return of democratic governance in Nigeria 17 years ago, stressing that telecommunication facilities have become indispensable devices in the hands of Nigerians.
He said that the country has a record of 152 million active telephone lines as at November 2015 with over eight million people having access to the internet.
The NCC boss said that telecommunications is one   of the biggest contributors to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with over 10 percent push up of the economic growth, adding that government also depends on it as one of the diversification into non-oil revenue in the face of dwindling oil price.
He said that the benefits and useful services enjoyed by Nigerians from telecoms industry are being threatened by the spate of vandalism of telecoms infrastructure across the country.
NCC Vice Chairman noted that vandalisation of telecoms facilities slow down the pace of growth and also contributes to poor telecoms service quality.
The NCC boss said Nigerians are directly and indirectly employed by the telecoms service providers thereby earning reasonable incomes.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman was represented by the Commission Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo at the roadshow event in Lagos.
In a related development, the Commission’s Executive Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta has disclosed that the new vision of NCC was in line with the present Federal government objectives of promoting innovation, investment, competition and consumer empowerment using the communication platforms.
Dambatta explained that NCC has licensed some companies in Lagos and the North Central geo-political zone while licensing  of companies in the South-South and South-East geo-political  zones have not been considered yet by the Commission.
He said that the essence of the licensing of the companies was to improve quality of service delivery, promote availability of reliable interoperable, and rapidly restore critical Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure that are supportive of all required services.
He said that it also include optimizing usage and benefit of spectrum by maximising availability of spectrum to provide diverse and affordable ICT services and ensuring that spectrum acquisition does not distort marketing competition.
He further stressed that other objectives are geared towards promoting ICT innovation and investment opportunities, facilitating strategic collaboration and partnership with relevant stakeholders to foster ICT for sustainable economic development and social advancement.