Lagos Wants GSM Companies To Assist
Subscribers
Abdul Isa, Lagos
Lagos
State Governor, in South Western Nigeria, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola has urged telecommunication
companies in the country to create a database in
which all mobile telephone subscribers can become
identifiable.
Governor Fashola made this appeal during a courtesy
visit by the Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat,
Mr. Steven Evans to his office at, Ikeja the State
capital.
He said that while the government is evolving
policies to ensure that every SIM card owner can be
identified, Etisalat as a new entrant should take an
innovative lead by establishing a system through
which no SIM card is sold without an identity of the
name and contact details of the person who owns the
SIM being collected in a database.
According to him, telephone networks and World Wide
Web (W.W.W) despite its advantages, is also prone to
be deployed to unsavoury uses, one of which is the
issue of anonymous phone calls and text messages to
law abiding citizens.
In his words, “the Information gateway now can be a
very volatile and dangerous weapon which must be
controlled from getting into anonymous hands. We can
create a database in which everyone becomes
accountable for one another”.
The Governor reiterated that it was based on the
understanding of the Government on the need to
upgrade equipment, lay cables and erect masts by
operators that it put in a regime that sought to
control not only the quality of the material that
was used in erecting masts but the location as well.
He explained that Government felt that it was
important for it as the Town Planning Regulatory
Authority to set some standard not only for the
safety of the public but for the business efficiency
of the operators.
Speaking earlier, the CEO of Etisalat, Mr. Steven
Evans said the organization intends to invest
heavily in Lagos.
He added that as part of its Corporate Social
Responsibility, Etisalat has adopted three schools
and will be awarding 300 scholarships to Nigerian
University undergraduates to the tune of N100,
000.00 each.
Qasim/Austeen