MTN to partner state govts on mobile clinic, renovate 24 science labs

As part of the forthcoming Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) at 10 anniversary celebration by the leading mobile operator in the country, MTN Nigeria Communication Limited, is gearing up to partner state governments in the provision of mobile health clinic.

According to the Corporate Services Executive of the MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck this project among others would be delivered through the corporate social responsibility arm of the company, MTN Foundation.

Speaking at the unveiling of MTN@10 logo on Tuesday, Goodluck said that the idea is to assist in bridging the gap on healthcare system in the country.

“We believe it would go a long way in bridging the health care gap,” he said.

Also, he said, that MTN is planning to renovate about two colleges of education, while 24 secondary schools would benefit through the provision of science laboratories, which he noted would make Nigerian students to be globally competitive.

“This would be funded by MTN Foundation,” he declared.

He further said that MTN Nigeria is ready for number portability, stressing that this would offer subscribers in the country, a choice for operators based on value proposition.

On the quality of service, Goodluck who was responding to questions, said that MTN is doing all it could to improve quality of service.

“We are not taking our foot off the pedal as far as Quality of Service is concerned,” he asserted.

In addition, Mr. Goodluck noted that during the era of exclusivity, that competition anchored on honest kept the mobile operator going.

“Competition kept us honest and drives us,” he said, lamenting however, that in 2001 it took about eight weeks to complete a base station in a location, but after the exclusivity the competition increased, thereby increasing the demand from communities across the country, who invariably misunderstood the essence of telecommunications infrastructure.

“Today, it takes 15 months to complete a base station due to bottlenecks. You have to get permits from various tiers of government,” he decried, insisting that MTN is committed to improving quality of service.

Daily Champion recalls that MTN Nigeria paid $285m for one of the four GSM licenses then on offer by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in January 2001 and has invested in excess of US$1.8 billion ever since, building mobile telecommunications infrastructure in countrywide, while in August 2001, MTN launched commercial service.

Remmy Nweke:
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