NCC Charges UNIBEN Students on Consumers Rights

Adibe Emenyonu

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the weekend charged students of University of Benin, Edo State on the need to understand their rights and obligations to the telecommunication industry.

The regulatory body gave this charge in a programme tagged “Telecom Campus Conversation” under a theme, “Telecom Consumer Rights Awareness: The Role of Students.”

Speaking during the programme, NCC’s Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau Nigerian Communications Commission, Mrs. Mostura Aruna said the commission targeted on creating awareness for students to know their rights and roles in the telecom industry.

Aruna said the programme “is one of the various consumer-centred initiatives of the commission targeted at creating awareness for students of tertiary institutions on their rights and obligations as telecom consumers, as well as sensitising them on several initiatives put in place for the purpose of “consumer protection and empowerment.

“The Telecom Campus Conversation Forum is one of the various consumer-centred initiatives of the Nigerian Communications Commission targeted at creating awareness for students of tertiary institutions on their rights and obligations as telecom consumers as well as sensitising them on several initiatives put in place for the purpose of consumer protection and empowerment.”

Also, NCC’s Director of Consumers Affairs, Dr Efosa Idehen said the programme was created for students’ awareness about their rights and role.

According to him, the project was launched in 2020. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the maiden edition took place at the University of Abuja a week ago, while the second edition is taking place at the University of Benin.

In the course of the awareness, the students were enlightened on the need for SIM registration and the importance of SIM linkage with National Identification Number (NIN).

Idehen said the regulatory agency had various means mapped out to educate consumers on their rights including market discussion for market people, student conversation for students and NYSC conversation” for corps members.

Others, according to the director, include professional Conversation for professionals in various fields and Village Square, an online programme

He also emphasised the need for cyber security as various numbers had been dedicated for different purposes and were called out to students.

Students were also rewarded with recharge cards from different network providers given out.