The Nigeria Communications Commission has called for proposal for engagement of Consumer Advocacy Groups in pursuance of the Consumer Protection, Information and Education mandate of the Commission
In a public message signed and made available to the public by the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the notice said that the objective of the Consumer Advocacy Groups is to have a pool of genuine Advocates who are passionate about consumer protection and are willing to: Inform and educate telecoms consumers; Protect consumers from abuses, exploitation and deceit; Assist NCC to educate telecom consumers on their rights and obligations; Bridge the communication gaps existing between consumers and the regulator on one hand, and the operating companies on the other and obtain useful feedback to improve telecom service delivery.
The scope of the engagement, according to the notice shall include: Assist the Commission in creating consumer awareness and education; Sensitize telecom consumers and bridge information gaps on relevant consumer issues; Assist in mobilizing and enlightening some target consumers such as market women, artisans, the unskilled and the grassroots at various programmes and regulatory interventions by the Commission that benefit the consumers; Provide a leverage for the Commission to execute consumer centric projects that will cover the six (6) Geopolitical zones and impact telecom consumers in the nook and crannies of Nigeria and assist in reaching out to special groups like the “Differently Abled People” to ensure all-inclusive participation in the Nigerian telecom space.
The notice further said that the Telecom Consumer Advocacy Groups are encouraged to serve as Consumer Protection Ambassadors within their communities and should be able to meet the needs of the diverse population. This is to ensure that ICT consumers across the country are well informed irrespective of their geopolitical zones or inability to attend formal consumer-centric programs.
“Consumer Advocacy Groups should: be a corporate entity duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission and should have verifiable directors/ trustees; have a verifiable physical address/location; have a good knowledge of the Commission and Telecoms/ICT industry; be able to demonstrate a good knowledge of various consumer issues and should be passionate about consumer Information and Education; be able to demonstrate/provide evidence of previous or ongoing consumer advocacy work carried out and have capacity to deliver consumer advocacy programmes in English and three major Nigerian languages
Interested Consumer Advocacy Groups advised to send written requests to the Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission via e-mail address: consumeradvocacy@ncc.gov.ng and attach soft copies of the following: Brief profile of the Advocacy Group; Qualification and experience of team members; Proof of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission; Track record of previous or ongoing consumer advocacy work carried out and evidence of area of specialization and proof of influence within communities
“Advocacy Groups may also wish to provide evidence of other unique qualifications/experiences that make them most suited for such assignments. All submissions most reach the Commission on or before September 24, 2020
Please note that emails should indicate “Application to be Enrolled in NCC Consumer Advocacy Group Database” in the subject field, the notice concluded.
