By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The National Telecommunications Commission is planning to roll out a consumer protection survey next year. The survey is expected to inform the policy of the commission to better protect consumers from exploitation by telecommunication services providers in the country.
A letter from the Director General, Daniel Kiatibi to the staff of the commission states that instructions had already been given to the Director of Cooperate and Industry Affairs.
“I have engaged the Director responsible for Corporate & Industry Affairs to make adequate plans to ensure we have a robust consumer perception survey in the first quarter of next year on the quality of service delivered by Mobile Network Operators, ” the letter states.
Monday marks exactly six months since Kaitibi took over as the DG at NATCOM. The survey is one of many priorities he earmarked to complete during his tenure.
Some of the other priorities are: enactment of the Electronic Communications Act which would eventually see the transformation of NATCOM into an Authority, Conduct a Cost study to set tariffs for interconnection and other telecommunications services, Procurement of Cyber Security and Fraud prevention Equipment, Install Fixed Spectrum monitoring equipment and handheld tools, Secure funding for the completion of the NATCOM Building up at South Ridge.
In the letter, Kaitibi said significant progress had been made with the drafting of the Electronic Communications Act which will see NATCOM transformed in to an authority.
Last month, the Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, said work on the document was in advance stages. A meeting with all telecomm stakeholders was even held to straighten some of the provisions of the document.
The DG said provision has also been made in the 2021 budget for the procurement of Cyber Security and Fraud Prevention Equipment, some of which the commission has been in dire need of for many years.
In his message, the DG called for team work and good leadership from all, whiles urging for transparency. His call for transparency comes at the backdrop of the release of the government White Paper on the Commissions of Inquiry set up the government, which had some findings about how NATCOM and many other government institutions were managed by the last administration.
“As HE President Bio correctly stated in his acceptance speech of the COI’s White Paper Report, when one is appointed to serve, ‘one must do so with honesty, fairness, justice, diligence, and compassion’. It is on this principle that we would continue to serve to ensure a commitment to our shared values. This, we demand of all of you as we forge ahead,” Kaitibi said.
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