A former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Adamawa, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, said the recent tariff adjustment by telecommunications companies should be considered as a development in good faith.
By Yakubu Uba
A former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Adamawa, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, said the recent tariff adjustment by telecommunications companies should be considered as a development in good faith.
Sajoh made this known on Sunday in a statement in Abuja.
He said the hike regulated by the National Communication Commission (NCC) is in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
Sajoh urged the Nigerian Labour Congress mobilising for a protest on the issue to be considerate based on realities on ground where the cost of everything has risen.
According to him, the telecommunication companies are compelled to adjust as a last resort to save themselves from total collapse.
“Nigerians may be famous for being resilient, but any increase in cost of living stretches such resilience further.
“But looking at the situation realistically one must be honest in accepting that the dangers of denying the Telecom Operators a cost reflective tariff adjustment at this point in time may be more costly to the consumers in the long run than allowing them to adjust their tariffs.
“Expansion of access and service efficiency are more important even to the consumers than keeping a cap that blocks expansion and better quality service.
“Perhaps allowing them to adjust their tariff to reflect their operational cost and guarantee return on investment may not only be a better option at the moment but the only one necessary,” Sajoh said.
He queried NLC for concluding to go on strike without engaging the public on issues that gave rise to the hike.
“Why is NLC as the Labour Centre leading a protest without engaging the public on the real issues in contention.
“For example the last time a tariff adjustment was carried out in Nigeria was in 2013. That was more than a decade ago. What were the operational costs then and what is it today,” he asked.
While noting the critical role being played by communication, Sajoh said stakeholders should bear with them and demand for better services after the increase instead of the position of protest chosen by NLC.
“In 2013 the minimum wage was N30,000. Today it is N70,000, more than double the amount in 2013. Other operational costs like the cost of fuel, value of the Naira in dollar terms and electricity tariff have all gone up.
“Will it not be unfair to expect the Telecom Industry to stagnate and not respond to these realities? I am not holding brief for them, but I believe that as private sector players, if there is no return on their investment, they may be forced to divest from the economy.
“What organised labour and anyone genuinely concerned about the telecom sector should be advocating for is an affordability template that respects value on investment.
“In such a situation the key factors required of the service provider after the tariff adjustment should be service efficiency,” Sajoh said. (NAN)
