Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) revealed that it has received over 40 vandalisation reports on telecom structures across the federation daily.
The commission noted that the situation underlines the need for all stakeholders to put hands together toward protecting the structures as theirs.
Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta made this revelation during a telecom consumer conversation village square dialogue with the theme ‘Protection of Telecom infrastructure for improved quality of service, the role of residents,’ organised by NCC.
The EVC NCC, represented by Engr Bako Wakili, NCC director, Technical Standard and Network Integrity Department, at the event, Danbatta said the commission is sensitizing the public on the need for communities to own up the structure.
He maintained that vandalisation of telecom structures reduced the quality of service as well as coverage area leading to dead spots on the network which result in poor quality of service, adding that it also discouraged investors from investing in Nigeria should their infrastructures be continuously vandalized or stolen.
Similarly, Malam Shu’aibu Swade, NCC zonal controller Kano, said there is the need for robust sensitization to solicit for communities’ cooperation in protecting and guarding telecom structures for improved quality services to consumers.
More importantly, he acknowledged that there is need for the communities to understand that it is a duty upon them not to damage telecom infrastructure and also to allow installation of equipment and maintenance and or repairs on sites by technical staff of service providers for quality telecom service delivery.