Your Calls May Soon Be Monitored - NCC

Following the unstable level of security in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that security agencies will soon begin monitoring of all phone calls to enhance their operational activities.

The Commission made this announcement recently during a special edition of Consumer Outreach programme, organized by the commission at the IBB Golf Club in Maitama, Abuja.

According to the commission, there are already plans to come up with a guideline that will aid the take-off of the plan in such a way that no subscriber’s right or privacy would be breached in the process.

Though, the Commission promised to ensure full protection of the rights of every consumer through the proposed guidelines, it however noted that there is no enabling law at the moment to guide the operators on such powers and called for a quick enactment of legislations to give the proposed guideline a legal backing by the time the implementation proper kicks off.

Speaking on the development, the commission's legal adviser, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye said, "In view of the worrisome security situation in the country, the security agencies are about to key into peoples' conversation. We as a regulatory agency are coming with guidelines that will guide the operators on this. Though, at the moment, we do not have a law to guide how the operators should keep consumers privacy in conversation, we also need this guideline. to enhance the smooth implementation of the plan."

The NCC is also promising that the soon to be released guidelines will take care of fears of privacy breach and ensure that the process does not affect genuine conversations.

The Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska, in his opening remarks said since the establishment of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, in 2001, the Commission had taken several initiatives to address numerous challenges consumers are facing by coming up with projects that will ensure and guarantee that consumer are well informed, educated and protected at all times.

Also corroborating him, Director Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission, Mrs. Maryam Bayi said, the Commission had made remarkable strides in its bid to protect the interest of telecom consumers, not just as a fulfillment of its mandate but also as commitment to ensure that Nigerian telecoms consumers get value for their money.

She explained that the Commission had come up with a number of regulations and initiatives for the purpose of protecting the telecom consumer interest. They include: the establishment of regulations on consumer code of practice, quality of service, enforcement, mobile number portability among others.

The Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Muoka, also speaking at the event, described the regulation of the Nigerian telecom sector as a delicate balance for the commission

Muoka noted that the consumer outreach programme of the commission has not only made Nigerian consumers the most celebrated among other consumers in Nigerian economy but has also been recognized by the International telecommunication Union, ITU as an innovative initiative helping the commission to alleviate consumers problems.