‘We Will Bark And Bite’, Senate Threatens to Blacklist Erring GSM Service Providers
- Lawmakers sceptical about implementation by authorities.
- Lawan and others complain of unwholesome practices.
The Senate has threatened to blacklist any mobile telecommunication service provider in the country accused of unwholesome practices.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan gave the threat in his remarks on Thursday after the consideration of a motion by the lawmaker representing Oyo North senatorial district, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari and 34 others.
During his motion, Buhari lamented the high rate of dropped calls situation and poor voice quality despite the fact that subscribers are heavily charged.
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The lawmaker also noted the disturbing and increasing rate at which data bundles expire forcing Nigerians to lose billions of naira to inefficient and poor services.
In his remark, Lawan who lamented that despite the huge profits they are making, they are found wanting in providing their services.
“I have listened to the frustrations expressed by some of our colleagues that we can only bark, but we can’t bite.
“We are going to bark and bite this time around. We will definitely do the right thing, even if it requires blacklisting an operator, we will go for that.
“With this, I think it will be an effort in the right direction by the Senate to protect Nigerians, that is why we are here.”
The Red chamber, therefore, condemned the poor services being rendered by the mobile telecommunication service providers and urge the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to be alive to its responsibility for ensuring sanity in the sector.
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The House also said it would carry out an investigative public hearing to address the disturbing phenomenon.
Nevertheless, some of the lawmakers expressed reservations that the Senate’s resolution on the matter might amount to nothing since it might not be implemented by the appropriate authorities.
