NCC spoils for war with NESREA over encroachment in telecom regulation

By Prince Osuagwu

NESRA should keep off now or.......Nwokonneya, Ojobo and Muoka

Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), today in Abuja, moved in a RAMBO form, to tear away the seals which one of the government agencies, National Environmental Standards Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), placed on one of the Abuja facilities of MTN Nigeria.
NCC also warned the Agency to keep of telecom regulatory activities reminding that there is only one telecom regulatory agency in Nigeria, which is the NCC itself.
The regulator made it open to NESREA that it has no regulatory power over telecom facilities.
NCC and NESREA has been in cold war over NESREA’s harassment of operators they alleged did not carry out proper environmental impact assessment before deploying mast and towers.
The agency, in the last one year, has at will, sealed off facilities of many operators, aggravating the ailing service quality the operators have.
However, NCC top officials have at different times engaged the top officials of NESREA on diplomatic discuss where after each visit, a likely resolution picture is often painted. However, the issue still remains a sore point in the operation set backs of the telecom operators plying their trade in Nigeria.
But until penultimate week when NESREA went to seal off the MTN facility located at the EFAB Estate Life Camp Abuja, the Commission has not thought it expedient to challenge NESREA.
Addressing newsmen after unsealing the MTN mast, Director Public Affairs of the NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said the commission will henceforth frown at any government agency that interferes with the work of the commission.
He said the guidelines from the commission stated that a minimum of 5 meter distance is acceptable but NESREA Acts states ten meters.
According to him,  " NCC had to unseal the mast which was sealed  two weeks ago  by NESREA under the guise that the mast was less than 10 meters from buildings as stipulated in their guidelines.
"NCC is the regulator of the telecoms sector, our guidelines stated that it should be 5 meters setback but the MTN mast is 5.6 meters away from the surrounding structures, but without consulting us they sealed the bay station. NCC will not allow any contradicting regulator to close any base stations because the commission is working hard to see that the quality of services improve in the country”.
Ojobo added that "operators should be allowed to do their jobs, we don't have any issue against any secondary regulator but they should come to us first to see how we can ensure compliance. We must maintain our standards and ensure consistency and investors must be sure of the rules and abide by it. No other agency should interfere or challenge our guidelines," he said.

The truth must be told.....we are the only telecom regulator

Also, NCC’s Head of compliance and monitoring Mr. Ephriam Nwokenneya corroborated Ojobo, saying that Nesrea should focus more on environmental issues rather than making undue interference in the telecommunication sector.