By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Adeleke Adeolu, has described the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) as a special day in the calendar of NCC which is set aside to celebrate their most important stakeholder group, which are its consumers.

He spoke Wednesday at the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day 2023 by the Commission in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “Empowerment Consumers Through Clean Energy Transition”, Adeolu said: “The Nigerian telecoms industry today boasts of over 226 million voice customers and over 156 million internet customers as at 31 January, 2023.

“These consumers leverage on communications infrastructure for social interaction, health service, access to education, banking, etc.

“As consumer volumes and service diversity continue to grow, network operators have to roll-out more infrastructure for coverage in new, mostly rural areas, and for network expansion in already saturated urban markets. Emerging technologies like 5th Generation (5G) mobile services will also require more infrastructure.

“These infrastructure components are mostly powered by fossil fuels to ensure 100% availability.

“Without pre-empting the planned discussions about the environmental impacts of these activities, it is important that we ask ourselves some pertinent questions.

“Are there more environmentally conscious means by which we can power network infrastructure and reduce our carbon footprint?

“Telecoms infrastructure have helped to reduce other environment-impacting activities such as travel – can we quantify these benefits and do they offset the negative impacts?

“Have we convinced everyone about the safety of electromagnetic emissions? Can we find a balance between environmentally-friendly network operations and cheaper services; or do we have to choose one over the other?

“How can we improve the quality of the environment through our network services and how can we grow public consciousness about responsible services using telecoms infrastructure?”

Adeolu stressed that as responsible stakeholders, they must find answers to these and other nagging questions.

While expressing pleasure that the organizers of WCRD 2023 have carefully designed a programme of events that will help them do the needful, Adeolu urged the attendees to give their full and undivided attention to the speeches, presentations and discussions at the event and also participate fully in the activities lined up for this year’s celebration.

•PHOTO: L-R: Oladokun Oye, Vice President, Retail and Postpaid, Airtel Nigeria; Abdulrahman Ado, Executive Director, 9Mobile; Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Dr. Chris Nwanoro, President, National Disability Empowerment Forum; Prof. Adeolu Akande, Chairman, Board of Commissioners, NCC; Abdulazeez Salman, Commissioner, NCC; Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer Relations Officer, MTN Plc, at the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day 2023 by the Commission in Abuja on Wednesday (March 15, 2023).