By Shina Badaru

Lagos. February 5, 2010. The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria has challenged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the transparency of the selection process of three nominees to head the nation’s telecoms regulator.

President, ATCON, Emmanuel Ekuwem

ATCON’s charge to the NCC Board is the latest dramatic turn of events as intense lobbying under way shifts to Aso Rock, the nation’s seat of power, where the final decision would be taken on who becomes boss of regulatory agency created in 1992.

Following TECHNOLOGY TIMES exclusive news of the Board’s recommendation of three nominees industry stakeholders have focused attention on ongoing moves to succeed incumbent head of NCC, Ernest Ndukwe.

Former Vice President of MTS First Wireless, Eugene Juwa; Director and current Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Stephen Adedayo Bello and Vice President (Academics & Student Affairs) in Kano, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Umar Garba Danbatta, a professor at the institution set up by NCC, were the three recommended to government by the NCC Board of Commissioners chaired by Ahmed Joda.

EVC/Chief Executive, NCC, Ernest Ndukwe

Following this, an lobbyists for the EVC’s job among them various individuals and interest groups are moving to get the hears of the Presidency where the final decision on the crucial position is expected to be taken within the hallowed chambers of Aso Rock, the seat of power in Abuja.

Before that happens, ATCON, the influential pressure group of telecoms companies in the country has called upon the NCC Board of Commissioners, which forwarded the nominees’ list to make public criteria used in the selection process to the Nigerian public due to the strategic nature of the office to the nation’s telecoms development.

President, ATCON, Emmanuel Ekuwem told TECHNOLOGY TIMES in an exclusive interview on Friday that he believes that the NCC Board of Commissioners has taken its decision in the overall interest of Nigeria.

“Let’s hypothetically believe or assume that it is true that the Commission’s Board acted for the overall good and interest of the country and the ICT or telecoms industry of Nigeria. And as such, there would have been criteria, there would have been issues on the table, there would have been concerns and there would have been qualifications of all individuals they deem fit to ensure the continuity of the growth of the industry as well as address the issues and concerns and the criteria they have listed.”

However, he expressed worry that the criteria used for the selection process by the NCC Board was not made public and neither was it subjected to inputs from stakeholders.
The new charge from his constituency is significant for outgoing Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, NCC, Ndukwe, who is also a member of the NCC Board of Commissioners. Ndukwe was also appointed into office in February 2000 when he was also President of ATCON.

The current ATCON President said that to appoint people into the office of EVC, the Board should undertake broader consultations among industry stakeholders.

“When those qualifications, those criteria those issues and those concerns are put in the public domain, then there would be public reactions as to the kind of persons, the kind of profile that can best addressed as EVC of NCC, those issues, those concerns that they have listed so that being exclusive would be addressed”, he added.

The ATCON President added that this becomes necessary, “so that one can say on the basis of the issues, the concerns, the qualifications and the criteria, at least this list they submitted is superb and proper. And at the same time too, based on the issues, the concerns, the qualifications and the criteria, the public will say, ‘wait a minute, there are better hands outside that can contribute and address the issues, concerns qualifications and the criteria they have listed.’”

According to him, “once the issues, the concerns, qualifications are put in the public domain, then we will now be able to see whether the list submitted is complete, is exhaustive of the capable hands that are available within the industry. And this industry is both the Nigerian Communications Commission, the private sector part of the industry of telecoms companies and even the academia and the press.

“So, that is the issue. Once there is transparency, once there is good corporate governance and objectivity and we want capable hands to address the issues that they would put on the public domain, then we would be able to contribute and say that that list is fantastic or I think there could be one, two or more other persons who would enrich the list in order to ensure that the concerns and the issues are properly protected and are excellently addressed to ensure continued growth in the industry.”

Meanwhile, anticipations are high that the Presidency may name new head of the telecoms regulatory agency to succeed Ndukwe who leaves office in April after having served two tenures.