The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has decried theft and vandalism of telecommunication infrastructure across the country.
Its Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande, made this known on Friday at the inauguration of Village Square Dialogue in Ibadan.
The Village Square Dialogue is an NCC telecommunication consumer outreach programme at the grassroots.
Akande said there was need to protect telecommunication infrastructure toward ensuring quality service delivery.
He said that there was also need for stakeholders and consumers to protect telecommunication infrastructure, because security agencies in the country could not be at the sites all the time.
The NCC chairman said that without the telecommunication infrastructure, banking, finance, education, entertainment and effective communication with distant family members, would be difficult.
Akande said that the outreach programme was designed to engage stakeholders in the sector.
“We are here in Ibadan to discuss one of the most important issues affecting protection of telecommunication infrastructure.
“Telecommunication infrastructure are important and we must ensure we take it as critical national infrastructure.
“We need cooperation of members of the public and consumers to protect the infrastructure.
“We are doing this across the country to seek support of Nigerians and telecommunication service providers,” he said.
Also, Mr Efosa Idehen, the NCC Director of Consumers Affairs Bureau, said that mandate of the Bureau was to protect, inform and educate consumers on the need to protect communication infrastructure.
Idehen said that protection of public infrastructure was a collective efforts and not only the NCC.
“Let’s all work together to ensure that the infrastructure is protected for better and quality delivery,” he said.
Commenting, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, the Chairman, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), thanked NCC for effective regulation of the nation’s communication sector.
Ibikunle thanked the NCC chairman for counting Ibadan worthy for the senstisation programme.
In his remarks, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, describing the event as a welcome development, urged people to cooperate with NCC toward securing of telecommunication gadgets.
(NAN)
