Senate moves to cut GSM tariff
Written by Emmanuel Aziken and Inalegwu Shuaibu
Friday, September 19, 2008
, approves N27.8bn 2008 budget for NCC




The Senate has initiated moves to force the reduction of tariff by 10 peer cent by all Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) operators in the country before the end of the year.

Besides, the Senate working through its Committee on Communication is also making moves to ensure that GSM phone customers do not pay for failed calls through the adoption of a new mechanism that would see all operators sending text messages to their customers at the end of every initiated call.


The Chairman Senate Committee on Communications Senator Sylvester Anyanwu disclosed this yesterday minutes after the Senate passed a N27.8 billion budget for the National Communications Commission (NCC) for 2008.


The Senate’s consideration of the budget followed the submission of same to the Senate by President Umaru Yar‘Adua vide a letter dated July 29, 2008.

It was the opinion of several Senators that the delayed submission of the budget proposals for the


commission was a violation of the NCC Establishment Act requiring the President to submit the budget by September of the preceding year.


Disclosing the Committee’s plans for the sector at his briefing with newsmen Senator Anyanwu said: “We are also working towards the reduction of tariffs for calls. We want to reduce tariffs by 10 percent before the end of the year.”


“Some of the actions we have taken following the public hearing was to review the Acts establishing the NCC.


“Another action we have taken is a directive to network operators that when people make calls, they should send text massages back to the caller telling him the duration of the call he has made, his charges and his balance. In this way, they can stop charging for calls that did not get through.


Senator Anyanwu also disclosed the Senate’s concern on the alarming increase in the wave of crime through the use of handsets and said the Senate has moved to curb the menace by directing that all new purchase of SIM cards must be registered by GSM operators.


“We have also given directives to all network operators that further purchase of SIM cards have to be registered because of the level of crimes committed using mobile phones. People who used SIM cards to commit crimes and then throw it away to avoid being caught can be traced if they are registered,” he added.


The NCC budget was nearly thrown out by the Senate on account of the violation of section 17 of the NCC Act 2003 which stipulated that the President should have submitted the 2008 NCC budget proposal before 30th September, 2007.


Senator Andrew Babalola who drew the attention of the Senate to the Act argued whether it was proper for the Senate to pass the budget submitted in 2008 when the Act says it should have been submitted on September 30th, 2007.


The Senate however waved his objection aside following an overwhelming support from members stating the need to approve the budget the enable NCC carry out its statutory functions for the year 2008.


Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) in stating his support of the approval of the budget said, “It will be unlawful for any organ of government to operate without budget."


If we did not pass the budget, we are compounding illegality.”

Following the debate, the Senate then passed the budget with strong warning that it would not condone late submission of budgetary proposals from NCC in future.


Following conclusion of deliberations, the Senate adjourned for a short break to enable Moslem Senators conclude the rituals of the Ramadan fast.

The Senate is to resume on October 7.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/sep/19/301.html

At least our govt can still remember us.

Please what is NCC doing with N27.8 billion naira?

Please what is NCC doing with N27.8 billion naira?

Logistics costs money na.

Our gsm tariff is one of the highest in the world if you consider how much that subcribers burn in a day.
I think that sms shouldn't be above N3 and a minute call shouldn't be above N7
Since they have about 30 Million active subscribers, making profits on those amount wouldn't be hard.