With its directive to telecoms operators to deactivate every improperly registered and unregistered SIM cards on their networks, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for more understanding among telecoms subscribers over the challenges they are currently passing through.
NCC said it is not oblivious of the challenges subscribers are going through in the process of re-registration, which they might have done before, but were not properly captured.
The commission admitted that subscribers were subjected to untold hardships in the course of re-registering their SIM cards, for no fault of theirs.
Director, Public Affairs at NCC, MrTony Ojobo, who conveyed the feelings of the NCC, however, said this was not the intention of the Commission, the reason he had to appear on various news channels to explain that the decision was actually taken for the good of country and its people.
He explained that what seems a sudden decision actually spans over two years within which period the Commission has appealed to the operators to do the right thing, with all the appeals being rebuffed.
"In every situation the Commission is aware of its tripod relationship with the primary constituencies, namely: the operators, the consumers and the government; and would always strive to ensure a balance without tilting it to any one’s disadvantage. This relationship is defined in the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003," Ojobo said.
Plus the promotion of fair competition in the communications industry and the implementation of government’s general policies on communications, the Act particularly charges the regulator with the protection and promotion of the interest of consumers against unfair practices including but not limited to matters relating to tariffs and charges for and the availability and quality of communications services, equipment and facilities, Ojobo said.
He explained that NCC had to take measures such as directing service providers to commence immediate deactivation of any SIM card that does not generate any economic activity after 48 hours of registration as contained in the NCC directives;
notifying the general public that selling, buying and use of pre-registered SIM card is illegal and is punishable under the NCC law; the immediate deactivation of all SIM cards that are not properly registered or contain incomplete registration; threat to sanction operators who fail to abide by these directives, among other measures.
Ojobo said the measures were taken to forestall an emergency situation, restore discipline and ensure the protection of life of the citizenry across the country.
"The need to have credible data base of phone users prompted the SIM card registration in 2010. The exercise ended in 2012 with 110 million lines registered, although registration is ongoing as new SIMs are added to the networks and data scrubbed and uploaded to ensure foolproof data base," Ojobo said.
He explained that in the last two years there have been several communications from the regulator to the operators on the need to maintain scrupulous control on the SIM card registration exercise in order to achieve one of the cardinal aims of attaining a credible data base and in the process help solve security concerns in the country.
While the appeals may have fallen on deaf ears, worries are hitting frenetic heights about the activities of miscreants and other evil-intentioned minds who continue to exploit the loopholes in the process to unleash havoc on unsuspecting Nigerians.
This culminated in the meeting of August 4, 2015 between the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the regulator and the operators with the operators being given seven days within which to deactivate all pre-registered SIM cards.
The NCC has come to a final but painful decision and is appealing to the subscribers to contemplate the issues more robustly, and team up with the Commission to bring this unfortunate lingering issue to a close, Ojobo said.
