Reps to MTN, GLO, Airtel, others: Stop reselling already purchased SIM cards

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Telecommunications (when constituted) to interface with Global System for Communication, GSM, providers to stop network providers from reselling already purchased SIM cards.

The call followed the consideration of a motion moved by Boniface Sunday Emerengwa at the plenary yesterday.

Moving the motion, Emerengwa noted that Global Service for Mobile Communication, GSM, came into Nigeria in 2001 with Econet (now Airtel) and MTN as the first providers.

He said: “The advent of GSM enables Nigerians to have access to a variety of different services that were never possible or contemplated in the past such as Mobile Banking Services, etc.

“GSM has helped tremendously to improve the business environment in Nigeria, thereby providing ease of doing business in the country.

“SIM registration began in April 2010 upon directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to track subscribers in the possible event of an abuse of usage.

“The SIM registration entails the personal information and submission of individual biometric scans which are retained in the SIM by the Provider.

“The SIM cards paid for by individuals but not in use for six months are resold to another subscriber.

After the registration of a fresh subscriber of a pre, registered SIM, the details of the earlier subscriber still show when exposed to True Caller App, Regrets that bank alerts of old subscribers are sent to the new subscriber and vice-versa, thereby exposing customers to huge financial risk; particularly under the growing regime of ‘yahoo boys’ etc”.

Adopting the motion, the House gave the committee two weeks to execute the assignment and report back for further legislative action.

In a related development, the House urged the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, to undertake a survey and develop a database that would track the employment status of graduates and corps members to aide their assistance into the labour market.

It also urged the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, through the NYSC scheme, to liaise with the under-listed ministries and develop a workable plan that would ensure corps members were retained in their primary place of assignment, PPA, for one year after their mandatory service.

The resolutions came on the heels of a motion, titled “Need to Support Discharged National Youth Service Corps Members in Transitioning to the Labour Market” moved by Muhammad Muktar.

Presenting the motion, Muktar expressed worry over the transition of corps members from the NYSC program to the labour market without any allowances to support them.

He said: “This is because graduates looking for their first job are generally among the most vulnerable groups in the labour market because of increased competition and the reality that vacancies are preferentially filled by people who already have work experience.

“Helping graduates to enter and remain in the labour market is an important part of policies, as they help to promote economic growth and obtain better living conditions.

“Successful employment benefits young people not only for national welfare but also for social connections and mental health, promoting rapid social connections.

“The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) predicts 37% unemployment and 45% poverty by 2023, highlighting economic challenges.

“The rate of unemployment will continue to rise due to slow economic growth and the inability of the economy to absorb the four to five million new entrants into the Nigerian market annually.

“The longer a person is unemployed, the higher the risk that such a person will lose work habits and faith in their abilities or will even build a passive attitude toward the need to be employed”.

Adopting the motion, the House further urged the executive arm of government to create a body under the supervision of the Ministries of Youth and Education to coordinate the screening and payment/disbursement processes.

It mandated the Committee on Youths, Labour, Employment and Productivity (when constituted) to monitor the implementation of the jointly developed plan.