Commercial activities at the Ibadan branch of MTN Nigeria were paralyzed Wednesday by a protest organized by the National Association of Nigerian Students (Nans).
The Nigeria news agency (NAN) reported that the students' agency, under the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) in the state of Oyo, carried posters with inscriptions that protested by the increase in telecommunications rates.
The students who protest blocked MTN's main entrance in Mobil Roundabout with their 'Aluta bus', transporting banners with inscriptions such as “It is enough! The tariff walk is a scam!
The students' actions thus kept both customers and staff members outside and helpless.
The Executive President, Nans/JCC in Oyo, Comrade Tiamiyu Auseo, said the protest, however, would not end MTN, but would extend to other telecommunications service providers.
He said that the joint students would soon meet those responsible for formulating policies in the government, expressing their willingness to continue the protest until government suppliers and services give up to their demand.
“Life is becoming more difficult for Nigerians every day.
“Data subscription increased by more than 100 percent, so it is more unbearable. 'Happy MTN' should translate to 'happy customers', but now, customers are not happy.
“They must know that without customers, their businesses cannot prosper.
“Our demand, therefore, is simple.
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“Nans demands that the calls and data re -informed their initial prices.
“We have no right to call assignments and data such as some people in the government; We are surviving through the hard income of our parents; Therefore, we should not be placed at the same tariff level, ”he said.
According to the head of state personnel, Nans/JCC, Samuel Adelev, many homeless students are now finding their difficult academic activities.
“It is difficult to proceed in your research work, last year projects and other educational commitments due to unsustainable data tariffs,” he said.
Adelek, therefore, urged the government to urgently consider the difficult situation of citizens, especially students, for the sake of the future of the nation.
However, the senior manager, external relations, MTN Nigeria, Funso Aina, could not immediately respond to the problems, as he told NAN that he was at a crucial meeting.
NAN recalls that mobile network operators (MNO) in January stated that he had obtained an approval from the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to increase the telecommunications tariff by 50 percent.
The increase followed a frantic impulse of the MNOs and other interested parties so that the Government considers the inflation rate and grant the approval of an upward adjustment of the data rate, called and messages SMS.
The Mno argued that the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the NAIRA precipitated an increase in the cost of services within the industry and other market realities.
Since then, the measure has been convicted of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), the students of the students and civil society organizations.