NCC links substandard phones to cancer, warns users

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has warned
Nigerians against the use of substandard phones, saying they were a
cause of some of the cancers being suffered by Nigerians.
The NCC which stated this in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday at a
sensitisation and enlightenment programme for phone sellers at the
Fayose Market in the state capital, also warned that the agency
would soon start to clamp down on sellers of unapproved phones.

An official of the agency, who addressed the traders, Kunle
Olorunfare, an Engineer, also identified unapproved phones as a
major cause of network interruptions, which he said were also
having negative implications on health of users.

Olorundare at the at the workshop organised by the Ibadan Zonal
Office of the NCC, lamented that fake phones had “taken over the
markets” and said “the preponderance of substandard phones was
causing colossal damage to network services and health of
users.”

Olorundare warned that sellers of unapproved ICT products were
running afoul of the NCC Act and could face prosecution or seizure
of their wares if they did not desist from selling such.

He advised the phone sellers to ensure the phones they buy from
manufacturers and dealers were approved by the NCC, which he said
had a list of all ICT products approved for sale and use in
Nigeria.

In his remarks, Mr Ekisola Oladosu who represented the Head,
Zonal Operations of NCC frowned at the proliferation of substandard
phones and other ICT products in the country, and promised that NCC
would “do all within its powers to check the situation”.

Other officials of the NCC, Tajudeen Saka and Amadi Chimezie
noted that the task of sanitising the Nigerian phone market was
incumbent on all stakeholders, calling on Nigerians to support the
campaign.

In his remarks, the zonal controller, NCC Ibadan zonal office Mr
Olubunmi Bamijoko said the sales of unapproved phones which are
smuggled or imported into the country, negatively affects
operator’s network and service delivery.

He stressed that NCC was poised to ensure the eradication of
unapproved phones through adequate enlightenment coupled with
enforcement actions on sellers.

In his response on behalf of participants, the President, Fayose
Market Traders Association, Mr Kehinde Badmus thanked the NCC for
the enlightenment seminar while assuring that the Association’s
members would cooperate with the commission to achieve its positive
goals.

He however solicited the assistance of NCC in facilitating
proximate approved phone dealer centres within or around Ekiti
state for easier access to approved products adding that the
commission should prevail on mobile service providers to establish
communication masts at locations where such were not available.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has warned
Nigerians against the use of substandard phones, saying they were a
cause of some of the cancers being suffered by Nigerians.
The NCC which stated this in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday at a
sensitisation and enlightenment programme for phone sellers at the
Fayose Market in the state capital, also warned that the agency
would soon start to clamp down on sellers of unapproved phones.

An official of the agency, who addressed the traders, Kunle
Olorunfare, an Engineer, also identified unapproved phones as a
major cause of network interruptions, which he said were also
having negative implications on health of users.

Olorundare at the at the workshop organised by the Ibadan Zonal
Office of the NCC, lamented that fake phones had “taken over the
markets” and said “the preponderance of substandard phones was
causing colossal damage to network services and health of
users.”

Olorundare warned that sellers of unapproved ICT products were
running afoul of the NCC Act and could face prosecution or seizure
of their wares if they did not desist from selling such.

He advised the phone sellers to ensure the phones they buy from
manufacturers and dealers were approved by the NCC, which he said
had a list of all ICT products approved for sale and use in
Nigeria.

In his remarks, Mr Ekisola Oladosu who represented the Head,
Zonal Operations of NCC frowned at the proliferation of substandard
phones and other ICT products in the country, and promised that NCC
would “do all within its powers to check the situation”.

Other officials of the NCC, Tajudeen Saka and Amadi Chimezie
noted that the task of sanitising the Nigerian phone market was
incumbent on all stakeholders, calling on Nigerians to support the
campaign.

In his remarks, the zonal controller, NCC Ibadan zonal office Mr
Olubunmi Bamijoko said the sales of unapproved phones which are
smuggled or imported into the country, negatively affects
operator’s network and service delivery.

He stressed that NCC was poised to ensure the eradication of
unapproved phones through adequate enlightenment coupled with
enforcement actions on sellers.

In his response on behalf of participants, the President, Fayose
Market Traders Association, Mr Kehinde Badmus thanked the NCC for
the enlightenment seminar while assuring that the Association’s
members would cooperate with the commission to achieve its positive
goals.

He however solicited the assistance of NCC in facilitating
proximate approved phone dealer centres within or around Ekiti
state for easier access to approved products adding that the
commission should prevail on mobile service providers to establish
communication masts at locations where such were not available.