Prof.Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer (EVC/CEO), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said that the commission will continue to strengthen its various commitments aimed at providing capacity building opportunities in various institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.
The EVC, speaking to reporters at the sideline, during the Nigerian Academy of Engineering 2021 Academy Technology Dinner/Lecture at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday, said that the commission, in a bid to provide capacity building opportunities for Nigerian students, has played several interventionary roles in the area of Science, technology, engineering, and math in the country.
He said that the Commission’s aim of providing capacity building opportunities in these institutions was geared towards boosting the economy of the country.
The chief telecom regulator, while speaking on the telecom network (services) in the country, said that Nigerians deserve pervasive telecommunication services in every part of the country.
According to him, no part of the country should be denied access to telecoms services in whatever part they live.
He noted that the commission would continue to monitor and enforce the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) issued to the telecoms operators as a measure of ensuring quality of services (QoS) and reducing drop calls.
He further disclosed that the NCC has the capacity to monitor the KPIs across the country, saying that in situation where the Mobile Network Operators in the provision of service fall short of the accepted standard of QoS, the Commission always draw their attention to the KPIs but that sanction is the last option the regulator can opt for against the operators.
He also said that in under-served areas, the QoS is expected to be poor and that the NCC is mindful of the situations in those areas that are under-served and lacks economic viability.
The EVC also reiterated that the broadband access-gap clusters in Nigeria have reduced further from 207 to 114 cities representing about 55.7 per cent.
This, Danbatta said, was achieved through the efforts of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).
The commission was also honoured with an award by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), for supporting the academy towards enhancing economic development in the country.
