At NCC, Telecom Consumers Are Kings—Omife

At NCC

OpenLife Nigeria reproduces a speech by Mr Clem Omife, Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Nigerian Communications Commission, at the celebration of the 2024 World Consumer Rights Day which held on March 15

WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CONSUMER AFFAIRS BUREAU, Nigerian Communications Commission, MR CLEM OMIFE, AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY 2024 AT THE NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS HEAD OFFICE, MAIATAMA ABUJA ON 15TH MARCH 2024
PROTOCOLS

The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission
Executive Commissioner Technical Services
Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management
Directors and Heads of Departments
Chairman Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF)
Staff of the Commission present
Esteemed Consumers
Gentlemen of the Press
Ladies and gentlemen

The World Consumer Rights Day is observed and celebrated on every 15th of March. This day is set aside to highlight the rights of consumers and protect them from exploitation, discrimination, and other forms of unfair practices.

Certainly, we cannot over-emphasis the importance the consumers.

According to Adams Smith, the author of the book wealth of Nations, he stated that “Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production (and Services) and the interest of the producer/service provider ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the Consumer.

John Wanamaker, the one-time American Postmaster General and Advertising Expert further amplified the importance of the Consumer in his famous phrase “Customer is King”. At the NCC, Telecom consumers are Kings because they provide the major drive and essence of our activities.

The Commission recognizes the important position the consumers occupy in the telecommunications ecosystem and therefore will continue to develop and promote consumer-centric initiatives aimed at ensuring that the rights of consumers are protected.

Consumer Education also forms a major tool for promoting consumer rights and therefore the Commission continues to engage with consumers and consumer issues using its various outreach programmes such as the Telecom Consumer Parliament, Telecom Consumer Conversations; Market Conversation, Village Square Dialogue, Campus Conversation, NYSC Camp Sensitization Town Hall on Radio.

We have also published the Telecom Consumer Handbook and transcribed into Braille for the Visually impaired.

Also, the Commission- is in the final process of deploying the Automated Consumer Complaints Management system, which will further expand the complaints channels and improve complaints resolutions even at First level with Service Providers.

The Consumers will continue to occupy a special position in the Commission’s activities because we recognize that without the Consumers, there will be no telecommunication industry.

On this note, please accept my warm welcome to the NCC 2024 Celebration of the World Consumer Rights Day.

Thank you and God bless.