The Committee, which
visited the NCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday as part of it oversight
functions, said Nigerians should see the commission as being on their
side on the issue of data price increase.
Senator Solomon
Olamilekan (Lagos West) who spoke on behalf of the committee members,
said the NCC had taken some commendable steps to sanitize the telecom
industry and the data price hike was one of them.
He noted the
roles played by the leadership of the NCC under Professor Umar Danbatta,
especially the commission’s handling of the MTN’s 1.04 trillion naira
fine and the recent outcry over the planned increase on data tariff,
saying the NCC did not disappoint Nigerians.
“Each time we
invited the leadership of the agency to the National Assembly, they
honoured our invitation and responded to our inquiries, particularly
during the MTN issue, and of recent the data price floor. They have
acted in national interests and Nigerians see NCC as being on their
side” Olamikan, who is the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on
Communications, said.
He urged the NCC to make details of its
2017 budget available on time to enable members go through and approve
to avoid the delay occasioned by the 2016 budget.
He said the
8-point agenda unfolded by Professor Danbatta on assumption of office
has turned around the telecom industry, urging him to build on the
achievement in the years ahead.
However, while receiving members
of the Committee, the Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Professor
Danbatta, said unless the issues regarding the data price floor are
resolved, it remains a whirlwind that would not do anybody any good.
Members
of the Committee are Senator Gilbert Nnaji as Chairman, and Senator
Adeola Olamilekan as Vice Chairman. Others are Senators Abu Ibrahim,
Joshua Dariye, Eyinnaya Aberibe, Isa Misau and Abiodun Olujimi.
From Dailytrust