By Victory Oduneye
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has received two international recognitions from the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and the African Public Relations Association (APRA) for the transformational role of the Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) in providing succor to Nigerians who are in emergencies.
According to a statement released on the Commission’s official website, the activation of ECCs across the country by NCC has made far-reaching impact by enhancing the Federal Government’s drive to improve security of lives and property.
Receiving this award, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission (EVC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said that,
“The IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA) 2020 won by the Commission and the APRA Certificate of Excellence to the Commission were for its harmonized emergency number, 112 and the construction of ECCs across the country, as well as for the efforts in leveraging the emergency communication centers for national security.”
He noted that, at a time when the country is faced with insecurity issues such as insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and many more life-threatening incidents, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the emergency communications centers, established by NCC across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been central to saving lives.
The EVC also noted that the establishment of 19 ECC’s in 18 states of the Federation and the FCT, plays a vital role during emergencies, as they facilitate response from Emergency Response Agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Fire and Ambulance Services, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and others by dialing 112 from any network.
The ECCs were activated as a one-stop shop for receiving distress calls from the public and dispatching same to appropriate Emergency Response Agencies (ERAs) for timely response and resolution of the distress.
Furthermore, “because of the recognition of the important role the ECC is playing in states where we have activated them, many states are asking us to come and activate their ECCs and serious work is ongoing in this regard, as we know that this important life-saving facility supports security architecture in the country”. Danbatta said.
In recognition of the centrality of the ECC project to national security, Danbatta has also received the ‘Nigeria’s Goodwill Ambassador for Security and Emergency Management’, while the NCC, as a corporate organization, was honored with the ‘Corporate Social responsibility Award in Security and Emergency Management in the country’ at the Security and Emergency Management Award (SAEMA) 2020 where the NCC was also declared winner of ‘Security and Emergency Management Award.’
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