A plea to the Nigerian Communication Commission
On the 9th of December, 2020, I had just left the hospital where I work after a 24-hour call, to get a newspaper, not far from Race Course, Lagos Island, when I was robbed of my mobile phone by two men who sped off on an okada (motor bike). The phone had a Glo SIM […]
On the 9th of December, 2020, I had just left the hospital where I work after a 24-hour call, to get a newspaper, not far from Race Course, Lagos Island, when I was robbed of my mobile phone by two men who sped off on an okada (motor bike). The phone had a Glo SIM card and an Airtel SIM card.
The first thing I did was to go to my bank to have my debit transaction frozen. Then I headed first to Airtel’s office on Oba Akran. When I got there, I saw about 20 people who all had a sullen look, the type of look you see on people who are at a funeral. I asked one man among them if they were being attended to, and he replied that they were told “no network.” But he said I could still enquire from the security man standing there. I did not want to waste time as it was around 2pm, so that I could come back to Airtel before their closing time. So, I headed to Glo’s office on Allen. There I saw only two people, and a security man who had a deadpan look. The security man told me the same thing: “No network,” as if it was a recorded talk.
I enquired to know more. That was when he told me that the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) had placed an embargo on new SIM registration by telecoms. I still insisted on being addressed by a Glo staff. He was reluctant to let me inside their office. Just then an elderly couple who just came was allowed inside. I followed, now at the door, one Glo staff beckoned on me to come in. He attended to me well. He said if only I had my phone I would have seen the message from NCC. But he promised that if the embargo is lifted I will be able to retrieve my line.
I later saw the message.
That explained the look I saw on the faces of those I met at Artel’s office. Just as well, those, I saw at Airtel were filling forms and most of the things given as reason for requesting new SIM registration was that their SIM cards were stolen. A SIM card in use does not stay alone, it stays inside a phone.
As a doctor, I have not been able to function. I don’t know what is happening in our hospital, I can’t be easily reached. In fact I have been disconnected from the world.
The NCC must know that mobile communication and the internet are now part of life and blood of today’s humans, and should not be denied law-abiding citizens for whatever reasons. I implore the NCC to do a rethink and find a way it can carry out its statutory role without affecting the people it is meant to serve.
Dr Cosmas Odoemena, Lagos.