The Interview Editors
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said that the ongoing laying of fibre optic cables and the deployment of other telecoms equipment by mobile network operators (MNOs) across Lagos and other states was entirely to expand their networks infrastructure across the country to provide more efficient services to the consumers.
Danbatta, was responding to insinuations being spread by some individuals through viral video, audio and textual contents on social media, where they wrongly claim that some ongoing digging/excavation activities and laying of fibre optic cables by MNOs in Lagos and in some other states are connected to 5G equipment deployments.
The director of public affairs at NCC, Henry Nkemadu made Danbatta’s comments available to the media in a statement on Wednesday.
Danbatta also described as false, any information suggesting or claiming that the equipment being deployed by the network operators are 5G equipment is purely misinformation deliberately orchestrated by individuals bent on creating ill-feelings in the industry.
Nigerians, he said should disregard such unfounded and ill-motivated information in its entirety regardless of whoever, no matter how highly-placed or lowly-placed, is making the insinuation.
“As the telecoms regulator, we enjoin Nigerians to get accurate information from us rather than relying on information emanating on social media by some individuals out of ignorance to misinform our people,” Danbatta said.
Danbatta said the ongoing digging and fibre optic cable laying by some operators are in accordance with agreements reached during meetings by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, and the NCC management with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum led by Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in January 2020, during which the Forum gave its commitment to allow the network operators expand their networks by granting right of way (RoW) approvals for telecommunications infrastructure expansion, unhindered, across their states.
This, the NCC chairman said, would significantly reduce drop calls and improve networks performance of the operating companies.
“The Governors’ Forum agreed to allow the telecoms operators to expand their networks by granting the telecoms operators necessary permits, which they had been having difficulties in getting before now. This will help them expand their networks for more effective service delivery to Nigerians. That is exactly what was or is ongoing in Lagos and in other states. It is to improve their networks infrastructure,” he said.
Reiterating that the earth-digging and cable laying activities by the operators has nothing to do with 5G deployment, the NCC boss stated that continuous network expansion was a requirement from the operators for efficient service delivery on their networks, as this helps to expand their network capacity and robustness.
