The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has donated 100 mattresses worth over N1 million to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abuja.
Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affair, NCC, donated the items during a visit to the NYSC camp, Kubwa, Abuja on Friday.
He said the visit was in solidarity with NYSC over its losses during the #EndSARS protest and that the items were donated to replace those carted away at the camp by hoodlums.
“We are here today to share in your loss and to support the replacement of some of the items carted away by hoodlums during the EndSARS protests of October 27, 2020.
“The commission is here to present you with a hundred pieces of mattresses for the use of the corps members.
“This act is one out of the commission’s numerous Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes,” he said.
Adinde said the commission had also supported the youth through various projects, programmes and activities aimed at making them self-reliant and enhancing their contributions to the economy.
He described the youth as the future of the country, saying they play a key role in nation- building and national development.
“The youth, as we know, play a great role in nation building. They contribute to national development and are responsible for bringing social reforms.
“As the saying goes, the youth of a country is the future of a country,” he said.
Adinde said that the commission had utilised every opportunity to educate and enlighten teeming telecom consumers on the programmes and activities of the commission.
He noted that businesses had particularly taken advantage of sophisticated telecom systems such as video conferencing, video calling and on-line marketing to improve productivity, especially during the critical period of COVID -19 pandemic.
“It is a well-known fact that telecommunication services are critical to the overall socio-economic well-being of every economy.
“It provides a technological foundation for societal communications and plays a critical role in the fundamental operations of a society-from business to government to families.
“It has become the centre of our everyday life. Telecommunication has opened up opportunities for businesses to thrive.
“These telecom services have enabled online learning for students, video conferencing, mobile communications and meetings for businesses, conferences, seminars and much more, thereby making social distancing more tolerable.”
According to him, new types of risks have equally emerged such as issues affecting telecoms consumers like cybercrime and e-fraud.
He, however, said that the commission was proffering concrete solutions to the issues.
Adinde advised all consumers not to open unfamiliar emails and never to post personal identification information online or save password online.
“The commission has embarked on different initiatives to reach out to our valued consumers.
“It is important to note that technological advancements have contributed immensely in making our lives easier in many ways.
“The commission also notes that your bank will never ask you your personal detail via the internet.
“In the event of any unfortunate circumstance leading to infiltration of your personal platforms, please contact your bankers immediately to freeze your account and also inform your mobile service provider for further actions,” he said.
He said a `Toll-free Number, 622’ was created by the commission as a second-level complaint redress mechanism.
He explained that the number allowed consumers to channel unresolved issues by their service providers to the commission for effective resolutions.
Adinde urged the youth to be ambassadors of NCC by sharing information received for the benefit of other telecom consumers, urging them to be disciplined as they go to their various places of primary assignments.
Mr Suleiman Abdul, FCT NYSC Coordinator, thanked the NCC for supporting the corps.
Abdul, who spoke on behalf of the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim,
said that the commission had lived up to expectations and had delivered.
Abdul said that the NYSC made efforts to reach out to corporate organisations for support after the #EndSars protesters invaded, destroyed and looted valuable facilities in the camp.
“The miscreant left us devastated but undaunted as we pick up the pieces and commence the process of replacing some of the stolen items.
“I am happy to receive 100 mattresses donated by NCC to alleviate the gaps created by the miscreants.
“The generosity of the NCC is coming at a time it is needed most especially with the Orientation Camp on session,” he said.
Oluchukwu Okafor, a corps member, said that the gesture was a welcome development and that the donated items would help to fill the needs of the camp.
