Data Price Hike: I’m Not Aware, Says Minister Adebayo Shittu

The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu has distanced his ministry from the proposed 1 December Data Price hike by all the telecommunications companies in Nigeria as allegedly directed by the Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC.

Shittu, on a morning talk show on Raypower FM on Wednesday denied knowledge of any directive for data price increase.

According to the minister, he heard the story same as every other Nigerians in spite of him been the supervisory minister of that sector.

“I heard the same story same as every other person. If indeed there such any directive, the Nigerian Communication Commission has not inform me even out of courtesy as ordinarily, I have no right to dictate to the regulatory body,” he said.

Contrary to the insinuations that the NCC decision could be political and means to gag the people, Shittu said their action could be “logistics”.

“There are reasons for what they have done. The reasons, I’m sure, will not be political; the reason will be more of logistics and all of that and as you have requested me to do I will do that,” Shittu said.

“But I want to say that I was not privy to it, I was not party to it. Government never gave any such instruction and the government, as the representative of the people, have never done that; that the voice of Nigerians must not be muscled.

Shittu however said he will definitely look into the whole matter as the present government will not allow any policy that might bring suffering or pains to Nigerians.

“This government came into the democratic process and it has a duty to continue to protect the interest of Nigerians and I can assure you, we will do that and we will do the needful in protecting the rights and privileges of Nigerians.”

The proposed data price hike has generated bitter complaints from Nigerians. This has attracted the attention of the Senate who debated the proposed hike on the floor of the Senate.

They later urged the NCC to halt the planned increase and that before any such hike could be announced all parties should be consulted.