The people of Zamfara North Senatorial District have called on the National Communications Commission (NCC) to intervene for the sake of rescuing businesses from total collapse.
The call was made in an open letter written by the Zonal Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Zone (1) and Publicity Secretary of the Kaura Namoda Focus Forum (KNFF), on behalf of over 1.7 million populace of the affected zone, Comrade Abdurrazak Bello Kaura.
According to the statement, the zone has for over three months suffering a total blackout of the internet services by major service providers, which included MTN, Airtel, and Glo, without any official explanation to subscribers.
According to the statement, which is addressed to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, explained that, “This disturbing situation has plunged the zone, which is made up of Birnin Magaji, Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, and Zurmi local government areas with a combined population of over 1.78 million, into digital darkness.
“Zamfara North is blessed with talented and innovative youths who thrive on digital businesses and modern entrepreneurship. It also hosts the Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, several educational institutions, and strategic commercial hubs like Shinkafi and Kasuwar Daji international markets, attracting investors and traders from within and outside Nigeria.
It further cried that, “Cutting off internet services in such an environment has paralysed businesses, disrupted education, and forced a large number of young people into joblessness and migration, thereby creating fertile ground for insecurity and social unrest.
“Sir, history has shown that idle youths easily become vulnerable to criminal recruitment, radicalisation, and other social vices when left without hope or meaningful engagement.
“By denying over 1.7 million people access to internet services, we risk compounding our already fragile socio-economic and security challenges in Zamfara State.
“The Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, from which your functions are derived, is clear in Chapter 2, Section 4 about the Commission’s role in ensuring the development and monitoring of performance standards and indices relating to the quality of telephone and other communications services and facilities supplied to consumers in Nigeria, having regard to the best international performance indicators.
“The making and enforcement of regulations necessary to give full force and effect to the Act, as well as the resolution of disputes between operators, subscribers, or any other person involved in the communications industry through mediation or arbitration.
“Unfortunately, the prolonged silence and inaction by telecom operators in Zamfara North constitute a breach of trust, a disregard for subscribers’ rights, and a violation of NCC’s service quality obligations.
Subscribers deserve not only reliable services but also timely information on any deliberate service disruption as a mark of respect for their rights and dignity”, the statement has lamented.
The statement further appealed for the NCC to direct all telecom service providers to immediately restore internet services across the zone and compel operators to compensate subscribers for the months of blackout.
