Tunji Bello
Telecoms tariff hike: FCCPC will protect Nigerians’ interest, Tunji Bello assures
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, EVC/CEO, Mr. Tunji Bello, has assured Nigerians commission will protect their interest amid the controversial telecoms tariff increase.
Indeed, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, recently approved a 50% tariff increase for Nigerian telecoms companies, against their request for a 100 per cent tariff increase.
The NCC stated that the 50% increase will take care of the financial pressures faced by the telecoms companies and also not exert undue financial burden on businesses and households.
Mr. Bello, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, affirmed that the FCCPC will protect the interest of Nigerians which is why it insisted that the tariff increase which he acknowledged has become necessary, does not exceed 50 per cent.
According to him, “Recently, you will notice that we signed an MoU with the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) that regulates that industry. Our own is to ensure that there are fair prices, there is efficiency and all those things.
“One of the terms of that MoU is the fact that it provides efficiency services to Nigerians and our take in this is that we want to ensure that even if they increase their prices, how are consumers compensated when they are injured? How do they get the necessary efficiency in terms of receiving and dialing calls and so on?
“These are some of the things we are going to be monitoring because there is provision under the MoU that we are going to monitor that those things are provided. Where the consumer is dissatisfied, they have the responsibility to alert us, and we will take it up on their behalf.”
The telecoms tariff increase has attracted a slated nationwide labour unions and civil society organisations, spearheaded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The nationwide protest was fixed for Tuesday but was suspended after a meeting with representatives of the Federal Government, when both parties agreed to set up a 10-man panel on the controversial issue. The panel is to submit its report within two weeks.
However, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to down tools if the Federal Government does not rescind its recent approval for the 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariff.
TUC condemned the proposed tariff hike, saying that it is not only ill-timed but also a deliberate act of economic oppression against Nigerians.
