TheCable

Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy, has given the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) a five-day ultimatum to resolve issues of illegal data deduction and reduce the price of data.

Pantami gave the directive during the oath-taking ceremony of Adeleke Adewolu, the new executive commissioner, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister pointed out that there were numerous complaints from Nigerians regarding illegal data deduction and the high price of data, adding that he had personally experienced illegal data deduction.

Pantami stated that government is aware of the challenges the mobile network operators (MNOs) experience in their businesses such as vandalism and issues of right of way (ROW).

According to him, “the way we pursue the mobile operators to do what is right, we should also work together to protect their interest and resolve the challenges operators face.

“I commented last time on the issue over illegal data deduction. This is not the issues that are worrying me but trying to defend the operators on one hand and the commission on the other hand.

“Please go sit down review that issue. It is very important. And I want to get feedback of that report in the next five working days because the complaints from Nigerians is beyond what I can handle as at today.

“People are complaining and it happened to me; I recharged my phone, my data line used it and I believed that what I used was not up to 20 per cent of what I purchased. So that is an issue that is very important to deal with.”

Pantami said that the main agenda of NCC was to protect the interest of customers and the ministry’s priority was to protect Nigerians.

He noted that the mandate of the ministry had expanded towards improving the economy of the country through ICT hence, there was a need to work together for the progress of Nigeria.