NATCOMS Tasks FG On Operators’ Service Delivery

The National Association
of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to put an end to the poor services being provided by telecoms operators.
The association’s President, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
According to Ogunbanjo, a situation where over 170 million mobile phone subscribers still had to contend with problems of poor services was worrisome.
He urged the government to meet with the operators and find out what their challenges were.
Ogunbanjo recalled that the operators have complained of multiple taxation, the over-regulation of the activities of telecomms providers and poor electricity supply, as responsible factors for the poor services.
“Government cannot fold its arms and watch the situation as this may affect the security of lives and the means of livelihood of Nigerians that depend on the telecomms sector to survive,’’ he said.
The NATCOMS president called on the Federal Government to check the frequent interference by its agencies, ministries and other departments in the activities of the sector, in the name of collecting taxes.
Ogunbanjo also urged telecoms operators to upgrade their facilities, to meet the growing number of subscribers.
He said that it was unfair for the telecoms operators to link their poor services to damage to their facilities, especially in some parts of country.
He added that security challenges, for instance, were only prevalent in a section of northern Nigeria.