Yellow Card to Telecoms Operators

Fri, Jul 12, 2013

By publisher

4 MIN READ

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Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has concluded plans to penalise any telecommunications operator that failed to disconnect unregistered SIM cards from its network by July 1. Reuben Muoka, assistant director, NCC, said any operator found wanting would have to pay a fine of N200, 000 per SIM card. “For a SIM card that an operator refuses to disconnect after the June 30 deadline, the operator will pay N200, 000,” he said

He said that the penalty would be similar to that which the operators deemed to be frustrating porting processes under the Mobile Number Portability scheme would pay on every frustrated line because the NCC has also pegged the penalty for MNP abuses at N200, 000 per line. “The penalty is like that of number portability where operators are required to pay N200,000 as fine for not allowing a subscriber that wants to port to do so.”

Few days after the expiration of the SIM cards registration deadline, there are still indications that some telecoms operators have yet to disconnect unregistered SIM cards on their networks. Some that claimed to have disconnected unregistered SIM cards, it was learnt, only partially implemented the NCC directive by disconnecting a few SIM cards.

Ubale Maska, director, compliance monitoring and enforcement, NCC, in a recent letter to telecoms operators, cautioned them to either commence deactivation of unregistered SIMs on their networks, or face heavy sanction. “Please note that the commission has commenced compliance monitoring and if unregistered SIM cards are found to be active on your networks, the commission shall invoke its powers under regulation 19 and 20 of the Registration of Subscribers Regulations, 2011 and impose the maximum fine on your companies without further recourse to any network,” he said.

In a bid to ensure that the directive was strictly adhered to, the NCC also directed operators to forward to the commission a summary of the registered and active lines on their networks as at June 30. The Commission also demanded that operators forward to it details of unregistered and deactivated lines as of June 30, in line with Section 15(2) of the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, 2011.

$500 Million Loan Deal Sealed

THE federal government has finally signed a $500m loan agreement with China for the construction of four international airport terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano. The loan, which was one of the many agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed by both countries, was approved in Beijing on July 10, as President Goodluck Jonathan formally commenced a two-day state visit to China.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance, said the federal government was elated that the loan deal for the financing of the terminals had finally been sealed. She said that airports are the gateways to the country and critical not only as drivers of socio-economic development, but also as an outward reflection of the character of any nation.

She added that developing airport and aviation infrastructure was a major priority of the Federal Government, and commended the leadership of Jonathan for pulling off such a remarkable milestone with the Chinese authorities. “The simultaneous construction of four international airports will create employment and other value chains that will help to grow and expand the frontiers of the Nigerian economy,” she said.

A statement signed by Joe Obi, special adviser on media to the minister of aviation, said the commencement of construction work on the terminals had been on hold pending the formal signing of the loan deal, which will be provided by China EXIM Bank. He said the dream of the present administration to bequeath befitting international airports to the country would now be realised with the signing of the agreement.

“I am extremely delighted with this development today. Now, real work can start as we had been eagerly waiting for this day. “We promised to give the nation international airports befitting the stature and standing of Nigeria as the giant of Africa, and today’s ceremony is a significant milestone towards the achievement of this objective,” he said.

Compiled by Anayo Ezugwu 

— Jul. 22, 2013 @ 01:00 GMT