The Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has completed a one-day, NCC-sponsored sensitisation programme for over 200 participants comprising members of staff and students drawn from yvarious faculties and departments of the University.
Declaring the sensitisation programme opened, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Professor M. O. Oke, appreciated the NCC for choosing EKSU for the training. He noted that the NCC has, over the years, played critical roles in educational advancement through innovation, policies, regulations and the regular provision of facilities and educational aids.
The Vice-Chancellor described data as a valuable tool for the management of thousands of students’ and staff records, ranging from admissions, examination results, medical records and financial files.
He urged participants, particularly staff members from ICT, Registry, Admissions, Examinations and Records, Bursary and Health Services, to take the training seriously, adding that data management is not just an ICT matter but a management, legal, moral and national compliance matter of importance.
Professor Ayodele advised participating students to be cautious in the use of their mobile phone data, especially in the handling of their social media presence. He stressed that online posts such as bullying, the spread of unverified news, nude pictures, false allegations, social media addiction and other unethical uses of social media handles have far-reaching negative impacts on their educational pursuits.
He charged the newly inaugurated Student Union Executive members to promote learning, unity, peace, accurate information and the positive use of social media handles among their fellow students.
The Vice-Chancellor also lauded the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for his choice of the University’s Chancellor, Dr Tunji Olowolafe, who has provided free Starlink internet access on campus for the benefit of staff and students of the University, in his efforts towards ensuring that EKSU attains world-class status.
Also speaking, the Ibadan zone NCC Zonal Controller, overseeing Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara States, Engr. Isaac Akanbi, said the NCC Act 2003 gave the Commission the mandate to protect consumers and ensure the provision of quality communication services. He noted that mobile phone subscribers have the right to complain and seek redress when they are cheated by call and data service providers.
Presenting the sensitisation training lecture, the NCC Technical Services Engineer, Adedipe Adedotun, explained the procedures and requirements for maintaining mobile phone data by both Android and iPhone users. He added that participants have rights under the NCC regulatory act and mandate to obtain a complaint ticket number as a procedure for lodging complaints with the Nigerian Communications Commission by dialling 622, the toll-free line to the NCC. He also stated that subscribers can port from one mobile service provider to another while retaining the same mobile phone number by sending “PORT” to 3232 or through yes.portnigeria.com.
The one-day sensitisation featured a question-and-answer session where students and staff had the privilege of asking questions on data usage on their mobile phones, while some mobile phone communication network issues were resolved before the end of the training.
The programme attracted notable figures in the University which included the principal officers, staff members, Students’ Union President and other students of the university.