NEWS
USSD Debts: Telcos Petition NCC, to Disconnect Services Q1 2023
The mounting debts from the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) has seen telecommunication companies petition the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for approval to suspend it.
Recall that Deposit Money Banks (DMB) and the telcos have been having hard conversations on the debt accrued from Short Message Services (SMS) and USSD since 2019.
It required the intervention of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who petitioned the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele to cool the move by the telcos to suspend the USSD in March 2021.
It is becoming evident that the several meeting between the DMBs, the NCC, the CBN and telcos have not yielded any headway, with the debt climbing from N32bn to about 80bn over the period.
The consequence is that the telcos having been frustrated by the antics of the DMBs now require the approval of the NCC to take their destiny into their hands by suspending the NSSD, as through the DMBs and offering the services directly to customers.
The Punch reports that quotes the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, as saying that the operators had sought regulatory approval to implement partial removal of the USSD services.
He said, “We have sought regulatory approval to pursue partial removal. We would start disconnecting those who owe us in batches, a highest debtor scenario. We don’t know as regards the timing because we are required to get approval before acting. But we would certainly commence the process once it is approved. The amount is over N80bn, it is not yet up to N90bn, but it is up to that.”
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, shaking the region and sending tremors as far as Thailand and China.
The quake’s epicenter was located in the Sagaing region, near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, home to around one million people and renowned for its historic temple complexes.
Panic erupted as buildings swayed and dust filled the air.
READ ALSO: Powerful 6.8-Magnitude Earthquake Hits China, Dozens Killed
In Mandalay, videos shared online showed terrified residents rushing out of residential towers while traffic came to a sudden halt.
Reports indicate that a major bridge spanning the Irrawaddy River collapsed into the water in a cloud of dust and debris.
The quake was felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, where video footage showed a partially constructed building in Chatuchak Park crumbling to the ground.
Thai authorities reported that 43 people were trapped in the wreckage, while seven others sustained injuries.
In Chiang Mai, a resident described feeling the tremors for about ten seconds before fleeing into the streets.
In Myanmar’s commercial hub, Yangon—about 380 miles from the epicenter—residents also experienced the powerful shaking.
One resident recalled, “We felt the quake for about a minute, then ran out of the building.
It was very sudden and very strong.” Another noted that phone networks in the city, home to around 8 million people, briefly went down but were later restored.
Myanmar, one of Asia’s poorest nations, is already grappling with the effects of a brutal civil war sparked by a military coup over four years ago.
The conflict has devastated the economy, and the country remains ill-equipped to handle a major natural disaster of this scale.
The Sagaing region, where the earthquake struck, is a war zone with multiple factions—including the ruling junta, pro-military militias, and rebel groups—fighting for control.
The ongoing violence has made travel by road or river extremely dangerous, posing significant challenges to delivering emergency aid and assessing the full extent of the damage.
Tremors were also felt in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, underscoring the quake’s intensity.
Authorities across the region are now assessing the situation, with emergency teams mobilizing in both Myanmar and Thailand.
A fire outbreak in the early hours of Friday morning has gutted buildings on Ifejika Street, by Sokoto Road, Onitsha, prompting swift intervention from the Anambra State Fire Service.
The inferno, which reportedly started in one of the buildings at about 6:20 a.m., quickly spread to an adjacent structure, causing panic among residents and business owners in the area.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown at the time of this report.
READ ALSO: Fire Ravages Two-Storey Commercial Building In Anambra
Eyewitnesses say residents and passersby joined forces with the firefighters in an attempt to salvage goods and properties from the affected buildings.
The head of the Media and Publicity Unit of the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident in a brief statement.
“Anambra State Fire Service is currently on intervention at the scene of the fire outbreak at Ifejika Street, by Sokoto Road, Onitsha. The distress call came at 6:20 a.m. today, and our firefighters deployed immediately. The public is advised to remain calm as the situation is under control,” Chiketa said.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to completely extinguish the fire were still ongoing.
Authorities are yet to determine the extent of the damage and the possible cause of the outbreak.
More details to follow………
Following gradual return to normalcy, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has directed immediate relaxation of the 24-hour curfew to 17 hours from Friday March 28, 2025.
This was divulged in a statement in Osogbo on Friday by the Spokesperson to the State Governor, Olawale Rasheed, who added that henceforth, the curfew would commence at 2pm and terminate at 7am the following day.
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Rasheed added that his principal made the decision to alleviate the suffering of residents of the three towns and provide an opportunity for them to attend to their immediate needs.
Gov Adeleke commended the cessation of hostility so far. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the report of another killing for which the police have made an arrest, warning that “anybody or group of persons, found or caught masterminding any violent act will face the full consequences”
Consequently, Gov Adeleke tasked the joint security taskforce to maintain their usual 24-hour surveillance to ensure zero tolerance for any act of lawlessness.
Additionally, he directed the state emergency agency to intensify the support services for the displaced people as earlier directed.
Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Myanmar, Shakes Southeast Asia
Egypt Named Host Of 2025 U-20 AFCON As Côte d’Ivoire Withdraws
Fire Guts Buildings In Onitsha As Fire Service Intervenes
Ifon-Ilobu-Erin Conflict: Adeleke Reviews Curfew To 17 Hours Daily
GTI Facilitates NPFL Live Radio Commentaries At FRCN
