• About Us
  • Home
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Shaka Momodu
  • Right Of Reply
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • OpEds
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
  • Right Of Reply
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • OpEds
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Shaka Momodu
Home Business

Why House of Representatives is Investigating Nigerian Communications Commission

by News Reporters
2 months ago
in Business, News
0 0
0
Why House of Representatives is Investigating Nigerian Communications Commission
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The House of Representatives has initiated an investigation into how the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) utilised the Universal Service Provision Fund, an allocation of 2.5% of the annual turnover of mobile telecommunication network operators as the annual licence renewal fee.

Thursday during plenary, the House voted to establish a special committee to “investigate the failure/inability of the NCC to promote widespread availability and use of mobile telecommunication network services throughout Nigeria, including the unserved areas.”

The commission is required to provide a report within four weeks for additional legislative action.

In an amendment to the motion, Representative Mark Gbillah urged the House to investigate the NCC’s use of USPF funds since the fund’s inception.

The legislators unanimously approved the amendments to the motion

Speaker of the House Femi Gbajabiamila appointed a committee to conduct the investigation. The committee consists of Messrs Bamidele Salam (Chairman), Jide Jimoh, Unyime Idem, Aisha Dukku, Sani Bala, Babajide Obanikoro, Abubakar Fulata, and Chinedu Ogah, as well as motion sponsor Sergius Ogun.

The title of the motion was “Need to Investigate the Non-Provision of Mobile Telecommunication Network Services to the Underserved and Unserved Areas of Nigeria by the Nigerian Communications Commission Despite the Availability of Universal Service Provision Fund.”

Ogun, in proposing the motion, stated that Section 3 of the Nigerian Communications Act, Cap. N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, established the Nigerian Communications Commission as the regulatory authority for the communications industry in Nigeria.

In accordance with Section 4 of the Act, Cap N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the NCC is charged with facilitating investments and market entry for the provision and supply of communication services, equipment, and facilities in Nigeria.

The lawmaker added that Section 112(1) of the Act grants the NCC the authority to consider, design, and determine a system that encourages the installation of network facilities and the provision of network services to institutions in unserved and underserved areas of the country. This system is known as the Universal Service Provision.

He emphasised that a community reading of Sections 114 and 118 of the Act revealed that the structure, governance, administration, and control of the Universal Service Provision Fund shall be as determined or headquartered by the NCC.

Ogun stated, “The House is aware that in the aftermath of the rapid expansion of the Global System for Mobile Communication in Nigeria, the majority of mobile telecommunication network operators were hesitant to move into rural areas due to business concerns.

“The House is also aware that the Act authorises the NCC to collect 2.5% of the annual revenue generated by mobile telecommunication network operators as an annual licence renewal fee.

“The NCC shall use the funds generated from the contributions of mobile telecommunication network operators to implement the Universal Access Strategy and Programme in accordance with the Federal Government’s policy (as stipulated in Section 4 of the Act)”

The lawmaker also noted that the NCC decided on its own to contribute 40 percent of the fund generated from the 2.5 percent annual turnover of mobile telecommunication network operators, or 1 percent of the annual turnover of the operators, to the USPF, a practise he said was widespread in Africa.

He stressed that the USPF was to be used to build infrastructure in the underserved and un-served areas of Nigeria, “which can subsequently be made available to the mobile telecommunication network operators, who will in turn utilise such infrastructure in serving the areas that are hitherto underserved and un-served.”

Ogun added, “The first major infrastructure project attempted by the NCC in this regard was the Emergency Response System, which led to the construction of emergency communications centres all over the country, with little or no results, despite the fact that the contract was awarded in millions of dollars with annual fiscal appropriations for the said project.

The inability of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to use the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to promote the widespread availability and use of network services and applications throughout Nigeria, as stipulated in Section 112 of the Nigerian Communications Act, Cap N97, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (2004), is a great disservice to the nation, according to the House.

Previous Post

Why APC Expelled foreign minister Geoffrey Onyeama and former Senate President Ken Nnamani

Next Post

The Brain Drain Bill is Slavery and It Violates International Labour Laws -Nigerian Medical Association

Next Post
Nigerian Medical Association

The Brain Drain Bill is Slavery and It Violates International Labour Laws -Nigerian Medical Association

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NEWS AROUND

  • Fuel Subsidy: Edo Govt. Increases Minimum Wage, Approves Three Days Work Week | METROWATCH

    The Edo State Government on Tuesday empathized […]

  • GTpro Holds First Masterclass on Government Relations | METROWATCH

      By Ogochukwu Isioma     Determined to […]

  • Wike Kicks against Muslim-Muslim National Assembly Ticket | METROWATCH

    Only those who dislike Nigeria will suggest a […]

  • INEC Releases Final List of Candidates for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi Guber Polls | METROWATCH

    By Ogochukwu Isioma The Independent National […]

  • Adamawa Assembly Approves Gov Fintiri’s Request to Appoint 50 Special Advisers | METROWATCH

    The Adamawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday […]

  • BREAKING | Nigeria Air launch, a Major Fraud, Says House of Reps | METROWATCH

    The House of Representatives has poked holes in […]

  • Fuel Subsidy is Organised Crime, Should be Removed — Peter Obi backs Tinubu | METROWATCH

    The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, […]

  • Lagos Assembly Elects Obasa as Speaker for Third Term, gets Female Deputy | METROWATCH

    By Ogochukwu Isioma The Lagos State House of […]

  • Berom Youths Moulder Association Accuses Security Personnel of ‘Wilful’ Killing of it’s Members | METROWATCH

    By Sam Kayode   The Berom Youths […]

  • REPORT | How Officials Killed Nation’s Refineries Through Double Payments, Duplication of Projects | METROWATCH

    The House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on […]

  • About Us
  • Home

© 2022 THIS REPUBLIC By Shaka Momodu

No Result
View All Result
  • Right Of Reply
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • OpEds
  • Sports

© 2022 THIS REPUBLIC By Shaka Momodu

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Go to mobile version