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| Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC |
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has questioned the approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission of the ongoing centenary promo initiated by the Federal Government despite barring the telecoms from running all forms of promotions.
The promo currently runs on all mobile networks in the country and is part of the activities lined up for the celebration of Nigeria’s hundred years of existence.
Subscribers got to know about the promo, which is expected to produce 51,660 winners in 90 days, through text messages generated from the operators’ networks.
The NCC had in February imposed N647.5m fines on three service providers, Airtel, Globacom and MTN, for failing to meet the Key Performance Indicators for quality of service in the month of January 2014.
Consequently, the three companies were prevented from selling Subscriber Identification Module cards between March 1 and March 31, 2014, and were also barred from all promotions in their networks until they improved on the failed KPIs for which they were sanctioned.
The commission had warned, “Service providers shall stop all promotions until the KPIs, which have been identified in their respective networks, are positively addressed.”
However, NATCOMS said on Tuesday that the centenary promo could not be differentiated from others run by operators, as it was capable of putting pressure on the networks if subscribers embraced it.
“Promo is promo, and we want the NCC to insist on the ban on all promos until the end of March this year. The centenary promo should not be exempted,” NATCOMS said.
But the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, told our correspondent in a telephone interview that the centenary promo was not among those prohibited on the networks.
He said the promo was part of the contributions of the networks to the centenary celebration of the Federal Government.
“This is about the Federal Government and it is not part of the banned promos,” Ojobo said.
The promo is expected to produce winners for 75 Hyundai Accent cars, three Prado jeeps, N5m each for 12 subscribers, 270 tricycles, generators, freezers, and 3D television sets.
A message from one of the networks on the Centenary promo read in part, “To participate before entries close, text WIN to 35777. A total of 51,660 winners in 90 days; 574 winners every day. Live draw everyday on NTA at 8pm. This is the time for you to win big.”
Though the affected operators paid their fines over a week ago, the NCC has yet to lift the ban on SIM card sale and running of promos pending the assessment of the networks by the commission and a proof of improvement on the KPIs as amended.
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