Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said that forensic audit was ongoing on data price deflation in the country.
Danbatta made this known at an award presentation to him as `Man of the Year’ by Money Report Magazine, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The reduction in data price was made in 2019.
He said that the commission needed to get to the root why consumers were experiencing data deflation and the possibility of compensating them for wrong deductions, which might arise from SMS.
“We have instituted and we have insisted in spite the fall in data price, that forensic audit must go on and must be concluded.
“Also that communications will be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer, so that we can see what actions we can take to write any wrongs that will be made known to Nigerians.
“Including the possibility of compensating consumers in the way and manner we have compelled Mobile Network Operators to do another audit to compensate consumers for wrong deductions arising from SMS.
“Airtel is compensating consumers. This has been done as I am talking to you, Airtel has complied.
“We should await the outcome of the forensic audit. This intention is to get to the bottom of why data is being deflated if indeed this is true,” he said.
Danbattat thanked the MoneyReport Magazine members for the award recognition presented to him and described it as humbling to the commission.
He dedicated the award to members of staff of the commission, noting that the recognition served as further encouragement to the organisation to do more by doubling efforts in discharging its duties.
“We will continue to entertain objective criticisms,” Danbatta said.
Earlier, Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, Chairman, Editorial Advisory Board, MoneyReport Magazine, said that the medium made an exhaustive examination, probe and investigation of NCC activities before presenting the award to Danbatta.
Okereke-Onyiuke, hailed the executive vice chairman and said that he had transformed the industry not only in contemporary times but putting Nigeria on the map.
“You set out not only to digitalise the concept but to realise that there is no way a nation will be able to meet challenges if there is no investment in this regard.
“There are three things that define your success story, which are vision, character and capacity.
“The magazine looked at your character, vision, capacity but more especially, the vision that you set in 2015,’’ she said.
The chairman added that the medium concluded that no other person was qualified to be made man of the year of the magazine.
