By Etuka Sunday
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), alongside its Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Umar Danbatta, have been commended by the Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers (ATCIS) for deploying Emergency Communications Centres (ECC) across Nigeria to enhance security of lives and properties.
The commendation was contained in a statement signed by the National President/Spokesperson, Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers (ATCIS), Prince ‘Sina Bilesanmi.
“At a time when insecurity is becoming prevalent in our country, it has become important to recognise the complementary the role of the Commission and its leadership in enhancing security of lives and properties in the country,” Bilesanmi said in the statement.
According to Bilesanmi, through the Commission’s emergency communication centre across the country, “most of us that are telephone subscribers are now able to call the “112” toll-free number of the ECC to contact emergency response agencies (ERAs) for help during emergencies. This has continued to help to enhance security of lives and properties for us, as long as you telephone user.”
Bilesanmi stressed that by setting up the ECCs across the country, NCC has demonstrated a move that will boost subscribers’ confidence in the synergy inherent between telecoms sector and security arms of the state.
“As subscribers and citizens of the country, we know that security is not just a choice; it is a necessity. And in time of need, people should be able to use their phone lines to get help. Over the years,
there had been challenges for subscribers reaching security and emergency agencies real-time, because what we use to have are standard phone numbers that cannot be easily memorised and recalled at panic points or emergency situations,” he said
By dialing a dedicated three-digit toll-free number, 112, telephone users in an emergency situation will be directed from their networks to ECC facility from where the distress call is channeled to relevant Emergency Response Agency (ERA) such as fire service, police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), ambulance, and so on, whose primary duty is to handle the specific case at hand.
Bilesanmi, however, called on the NCC to collaborate more with relevant agencies in order to further create awareness about the availability of the 112 emergency numbers which telecom subscribers can dial free of charge to report emergency situation and get prompt assistance to any issue threatening live and properties in the area while also urging telephone users to leverage the 112 emergency numbers made possible by the NCC to full advantage in order to save themselves from any emergencies.
Effective implementation of the ECC project and the populace access to the 112 toll-free number, which is helping Nigerians to handle emergency situation, has continued to earn NCC and its EVC, Prof. Danbatta, laurels and recognitions.
In December, 2019, Danbatta received the ‘Nigeria’s Goodwill Ambassador for Security and Emergency Management Award’ while the Commission, as a corporate entity, clinched the ‘Corporate Social responsibility Award in Security and Emergency Management’ in the country at the first-ever Security and Emergency Management Awards (SAEMA 2019) in Abuja.
The Award was organised by the Emergency Digest, a publication of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, in conjunction with the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC).
The Commission has subsequently been inducted, in January, 2020, into the membership of Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) in the country. The recognition for the Commission and its EVC followed the appreciation of the significant contribution to the Federal Government’s agenda in improving security of lives and property through leveraging ICT.
