By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta has said that the SIM and National Identification Number (NIM) harmonisation will help reduce crime and criminality in the country.
He recalled how a federal lawmaker from his state was kidnapped and how they were able to spot the location of the kidnappers and made the information available to the security agencies which led to the prompt release of the Kidnapp victim.
Danbatta stated this on Monday during a virtual world press conference to mark 2021 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) with the theme: Tackling Plastic Pollution”.
The Executive Vice Chairman said the theme is aimed at raising awareness and engaging consumers globally to adopt and promote more sustainable practices which will also focus on the central role that consumer advocates, governments and businesses can play in tackling the global plastic pollution crisis.
According to him, the handsets and their cases are made of plastic – a reasonable quantity of plastic make up the handset and it is therefore necessary to raise awareness and engage state and non-state actors on the dangers of plastic waste. This is part of the problems the e-waste regulation 2018 was set out to tackle, he said.
Danbatta who recalled that NESREA at a point in time said that the NCC was going into areas that are not there own, clarified that it can sensitise people about these dangers of plastic waste through the use of social media platforms such as facebook, twitter and others on methods to adopt and promote more sustainable practices which will also focus on the central role that consumers, governments and businesses can play in tackling the global plastic pollution crisis.
In the demonstration of its commitment towards protecting telecom consumers, making it one of the most consumer-centric public institutions in the country, Prof Danbatta listed quite a number of measures that have been put in place to protect consumers some which is the roll-over of data directive and no charges on drop calls etc.
Recall that the Commission declared 2017 as the ‘Year of the Consumer’ to underscore its focus on the primary place of subscribers of telecommunications services in its regulatory agenda. The year was dedicated to spotlight the consumer not only as a key stakeholder but indeed the most important figure in the telecommunications ecosystem.
Sundiata Post recalls that the World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on March 15 every year with the aim of creating global awareness on consumer rights and needs.