The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has been directed to sanction mobile network operators in the country making illegal deductions from subscribers.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who issued the directive also ordered the immediate stoppage of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data deductions by network providers in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by his spokesman, Uwa Suleiman, Thursday, the minister said “We have directed the Nigerian Communication Commission to ask MTN to suspend the plan. We are not aware of it officially. We will investigate and make sure the right thing is done.
“The attention of the Ministry been drawn to the activities of some Mobile Network Operators who, in spite of the earlier directive suspending the planned Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, USSD, access charge on banking services, have continued the illegal deduction from subscribers.”
He said the minister had been inundated with allegations of deductions by some mobile network operators before the directive was issued.
“This also serves as a notice to the general public that anyone in possession of evidence of charges after the Minister’s directive had taken effect, should forward same to the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, for further action,” Suleiman said.
He added that the procedure should be given utmost priority, as the government would “not condone any form of indiscipline and injustice.”
It will be recalled that the minister had in an earlier directive, suspended the planned access service charge of N4:00 per 20 seconds by telecoms operators in Nigeria.
