Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has commended the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) for doing a good job in regulating the activities of service providers in the country.
The Governor, who made commendation when he received Chairman of Board of the NCC, Engr. Peter Igho, and his team at the Government House, Umuahia, described communication as very essential.
According to him, his administration was addressing some of the problems confronting the operations of the NCC, including the issue of multiple taxation and right of way, adding that the state government had made relevant legislation as it concerned telecommunications operation in the state.
Governor Orji said his administration was poised to make the environment conducive for NCC and the service providers to operate and pledged to partner with the commission.
He implored the commission to provide more facilities to educational institutions in the state as a way of assisting the state government.
Earlier in his speech, Mr. Igho explained that telecommunications contributed up to 8.5 per cent of the nations GDP and had transformed the way of doing things in the country.
He said the commission was making effort to improve the quality of service to Nigerians.
Mr. Igho said that Nigeria has 129 million active subscribers, while over 50 million Nigerians have access to the internet.
He added that the tele-density is 92 per cent.
He however identified multiple taxation and hidering of the right of way and vandalisation of ICT facilities as some of the factors that militate against improved service, pointing out that the commission was currently pushing for a law to classify telecommunications facilities as critical infrastructure.
He disclosed that NCC has given ICT equipment to 38 secondary schools in the state, as well as tertiary institutions in Abia.
He appealed to the Governor to partner with his commission to improve the quality of service to the people.
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