The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decried the increasing rate of vandalization of telecom facilities that includes daily 40 fiber cuts, stealing of oil, panels and other valuable at operators’ sub-stations.
But what is to be done? The NCC wants community ownership of telecommunications infrastructure to save needless economic losses across the country.
Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Garba Umar Danbatta, made the call during a Village Square dialogue with the theme “Protection of Telecom Infrastructure for Improved Quality of Service: The role of residents,” held in Danbatta Local Government Area of Kano State.
Danbatta, represented by the Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity Department, Engr. Bako Wakil stressed the need for the community members to safeguard the telecom infrastructures to ensure efficient and effective consumer services.
Wakili who stressed that available statistics show that the telecom operators experience daily cable damage, stealing of generators, inverter batteries, and diesel among others, insisted that until the community, traditional and religious leaders rise to take ownership of the facility, there may not be an end to activities of the vandals.
He said the protection of telecom infrastructures was a responsibility of all, hence the need for the community members not to hesitate in reporting any suspicious act of vandalizing telecom infrastructure in the interest of all.
According to him, “We are advocating that people in the communities should be at the forefront of protecting the telecommunication infrastructure because without those infrastructures, we cannot get the desired quality of services.
“And it is our hope that people in Danbatta area where we are conducting the second edition of village square conversation to enlighten the people towards protecting telecommunication infrastructures particularly the mast, fiber optic that are buried in the ground because if those infrastructures were tampered with, there will not be services.
“And you will agree with me that today telecom services has become an essential services to us that all of us cannot do without. So it is in our interest to protect those infrastructure for us to get improved and good quality of service.
“Across the country, there are so many complaints of vandalization and destruction of infrastructure. The recent data we have shows that the service providers on daily basis experience over 40 fiber cuts in a day. They also experience stealing of generator, inverter batteries, diesels and so on.
“People know how to complain about poor services but don’t know that it is the actions of those bad elements that are tempering with our infrastructures that are causing the issues.”
In his remarks, the District Head of Danbatta and Sarkin Ban Bichi, Isyaku Wada Waziri assured the commission that the people of his community would support the commission in protecting the telecom infrastructures in the area.