NCC denies frozen of accounts, leadership crisis

Telecommunications regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has denied media reports that its account has been frozen.

This report attributed its position on the directive of the acting Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Commission, Dr. Bashir Gwandu.

But reacting, the NCC said its attention has been drawn to reports in the media insinuating that the bank accounts of the Commission have been frozen, following a leadership crisis, or that there is a leadership crisis in the Commission.

Head, Media & Public Relations at NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, told ITRealms Online that it’s all lies as there was no such thing or any leadership crisis in NCC.

According to him, while it is not the intention of the Commission to join issues with the press, “we have the responsibility to inform the Nigerian public, and all industry stakeholders that no account of the Commission has been frozen for whatever reason.”

He described the report as “embarrassing and a figment of the imagination of the author,” stressing that the public should discountenance it.

“We wish to also inform the public that there is no crisis of succession in the Commission,” he said.

Muoka pointed out that Dr. Gwandu has since June 21, assumed office as the acting EVC of NCC.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, Dr. Bashir Gwandu, the Executive Commissioner in charge of Engineering and Standards, have since June 21, 2010, been appointed the

Acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission,” he declared.

Emphasising that this was in line with the directive of the government to the former Acting Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Stephen Bello, whose five-year tenure as an Executive Commissioner with the Commission expires on July 5, 2010, to proceed on his formal retirement.

He maintained that since the appointment of Dr. Gwandu, with the full knowledge of the entire staff, “he has continued to perform his duties as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Commission at our Headquarters in Abuja without let or hindrance.”

Muoka also said that Gwandu was at the meeting convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Communications on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, and there was no time during the meeting that another person appeared in the same capacity as Acting EVC.

“As a matter of fact, the proceedings of the meeting were recorded for transmission by the various television stations and the public can watch the full proceedings of the meeting,” he said.

Additionally, Dr. Gwandu led NCC directors to the telecom stakeholders meeting convened by the Honorable Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili on Thursday, June 24, this year, where he was formerly presented to the industry by the Honourable Minister.

“It is, therefore, disturbing to read this type of news report which is a distortion of facts and a deliberate attempt to paint a picture of crisis where none exists,” he said.

Hence, he said, the Commission wishes to reiterate its commitment to programmes and actions aimed at expanding quality and affordable services to the citizens of this country.

Such programmes, he noted, include improvement on the quality of services offered by the operators, SIM card registration, reduction in call tariffs and general improvement of consumer experience in the Nigerian telecom industry.


ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D