Computer Village, Lagos
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) sealed off the offices of two illegal companies that deals on sale of mobile phones at the popular Computer Village in Lagos at the weekend.
The enforcement unit of the NCC who raided the computer village to monitor compliance in the telecom industry noted that the companies were selling and distributing non-type approved phones in the country.
According to NCC, seven firms “were found culpable of this unwholesome act but the two phone companies sealed for now are Ken Xin Da Mobile and G-Tide mobile phone,” which sells their phones at the Otigba market.
Head of Enforcement at NCC, Idehen Efosa, who led the clamped down, disclosed that, in 2011, the commission noticed seven companies advertising phones that were not tested by the telecoms umpire.
Efosa said the NCC had advertised in the dailies for such companies to desist from dealing on mobile phones not approved by the commission. It fell on deaf ears, he said.
Besides, the NCC also wrote officially to the companies, informing them of a meeting, which they never honoured, with a public notice given to them and warning before this final clamp down.
‘’The message we are trying to send here is that we should do the right things. Things should be done properly in this country. We are not against investors,’’ Efosa said.
Speaking on the development, Head of Media Relations, NCC, Reuben Muoka, said that Ken Xin Da Mobile had a range of 17 models of mobile phones that are not type-approved by the commission, while G-Tide had 46 models of phone that were not approved by the commission.
Muoka added that substandard phones depreciate networks, thereby increasing poor Quality of Service (QoS); causes network and health hazards.
‘’The Commission has been talking about QoS with emphasis, this is the type of thing that contribute to poor QoS, where people import equipment that are not type-approved and they are using them on the networks,’’ he said.
According to him, the type-approved phones are listed on the websites of the commission saying that by law, the companies are liable to some kind of penalties, adding that, by laws no company can sell phones that not approved in the country.
A manager at Ken Xin Da Mobile, Ogbonne Anselim, who showed reporters, a certificate issued to the company by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said, he thought with the SON certificate, the company, could operate legally in the country.
According to him, the company started operation in the country some six months ago and thought it had completed all the requirements.
