By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Senate President Ahmad Lawan says the National Toll-Free Emergency Bill now at the National Assembly (NASS) will establish a structure for prompt security response to emergencies.
He also explains that the amendment of the Nigerian Postal Service Act will reposition the agency to provide efficient service delivery across the country.
Lawan made the points at a public hearing on two bills hosted by the Senate Communications Committee – Nigerian Postal Service Act (Repeal and Establishment) Bill 2021 and Nationwide Toll-Free Emergency Number (Establishment) Bill 2021.
Improving national messaging systems
Lawan said when the bills become law they will ensure significant improvement to national messaging systems.
His words: “It is a great pleasure to be involved in this important public hearing, organised by the Senate Committee on Communication on Tertiary important Bills ….
“We cannot undermine the place of communication in our lives, considering it’s ability to help us pass information around, not only for the development of understanding and knowledge, but for us to carry out physical responsibilities for social progress.
“The Nigerian Postal Service Act is particularly in focus for its ability to strengthen the regulatory capacity of that agency, aside from enhancing its facility to meet the aspirations of the people.
“The National Toll-Free Emergency Number (Establishment) Bill 2021 is equally very important for offering citizens the outlet to freely seek assistance, in case of emergency, or for the prevention of incidences.
“We underline the public service role of government in the two bills, in view of government constitutional responsibility to work for the security and wellbeing of the people.”
Provision of universal postal service
Senate Communication Committee Chairman, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central), said the Nigerian Postal Service Bill seeks to unbundle the agency, whose responsibility is to provide universal postal service in the country.
The bill provides for the administration and planning of a national post code system in line with global standards for efficient mail delivery.
It seeks to establish the Universal Postal Service Fund (UPSF) to subsidise postal service and infrastructure.
“The bill goes further to saddle the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with the responsibility of supervising, managing and implementing this bill and its provisions”, Tinubu added.
Toll-free number for emergencies
Senator Ibikunle Amosun (APC, Ogun Central) said the Toll-Free Bill provides for the establishment of primary emergency telephone numbers reporting of emergencies to government agencies.
Senator Tolu Odebiyi added that when signed into law the bill “shall make 112 the emergency number” of Nigeria and “this number shall be free and uniform throughout the country.
“The 122 emergency number will enable Nigerians to have access to emergency service agencies for quick and timely response to all forms of emergency situations such as road accidents, fire outbreaks, burglary, medical emergencies, and recently we have kidnappings, banditry and so on.”
He said the availability of multiple telephone and helpline numbers impedes the public from getting accelerated response to emergency situations.
Unbundling NIPOST
Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Isa Pantami, who also spoke at the public hearing, commended the NASS for seeking to unbundle the Nigerian Postal Service.
Said he: “What is more commendable in this bill is the fact that the bill plans to unbundle NIPOST [Nigerian Postal Service] by making a regulation to be independent of the operation. This is the global best practice.
“A regulator is not supposed to be the operator because the regulator could compromise.
“If a regulator is a player in the same market that he is regulating, there is a high probability that personal interest will not allow the regulator to regulate the sector effectively.
“So, what is most important in this bill as far as I’m concerned, is the fact that the regulator is going to be an independent body, and that regulator is not an operator.
“That will make the regulator to be very objective in regulation, and I think this is highly commendable to the National Assembly.”
On the Toll-Free Bill, Pantami disclosed that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has activated plans to have a minimum of one Emergency Communications Centre in every state to address insecurity.
He suggested the bill creates the National Toll-Free Emergency Board, not an agency, to be chaired by the executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
“We feel the bill should expand more to make it a board. However, we had a slight discussion with the NCC on it,” Pantami said.
“NCC proposed having Nigerian Toll-Free Emergency Communications Agency, while the ministry feels it is better to make it a board. [And] that board can be chaired by the executive vice chairman of the NCC.
“Because if we make it another agency, it might make it a little bit difficult to manage looking at the challenges of revenue generation and many more, and the government is working daily to reduce the number of unnecessary agencies that are duplicating their responsibilities.”