NCC Heightens Sensitisation on Consumer Empowerment in Rivers State

The Port Harcourt Zonal Office (PHZO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently embarked on another sensitisation by a roadshow in Rivers State, focused on consumer rights and privileges as well as consumer obligations in the telecommunications industry.

The Zonal Office took the roadshow to telecoms consumers in Old GRA, Ogbunabali and the popular GSM Village at Garrison, Port Harcourt.

Speaking during the roadshow, the Controller of NCC PHZO, Venny Eze-Nwabufoh, who led the sensitisation campaign, said the programme was aimed at deepening consumer awareness in terms of their rights as telecoms consumers and keeping them aware of initiatives by the Commission to protect and empower them.

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She stated that all consumer-centric exercises are to express and constantly re-enact the Commission’s resolute commitment to driving the 8-Point Agenda, especially with respect to item six of the agenda centring on consumer protection and empowerment.

According to Eze-Nwabufoh, “We embark on these roadshows routinely for the benefit of telecom consumers who the Commission holds highly as the most important stakeholders of the telecoms industry. So, consumers need to be engaged, enlightened and educated on our various consumer protection initiatives and to inform them on how to do legitimate business in the telecom industry.”

Eze-Nwabufoh urged consumers to take advantage of the Commission’s consumer-centric initiatives which, she declared, will both empower and protect them from being short-changed by any operator in the telecom sector.

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During the programme, the Commission’s jingles on sensitisation of consumers on Do-Not-Disturb 2442 Short Code and the 622 Toll- Free line resonated in Standard English, Pidgin, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa languages for effective comprehension by the telecom consumers irrespective of the tongues.

Fliers containing salient information about the Commission’s functions were also handed out by NCC staff to consumers who they engaged one-on-one and in clusters.

At the GSM Village in Garrison, the Zonal Controller called on telecom traders to always ensure compliance with the Commission’s regulations, guidelines and the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, especially those who are desirous of doing business in telecommunication and ICT industry. She particularly warned them against illegally venturing into telecommunications business without the requisite licences as applicable.