The Sokoto State House of Assembly has expressed concern over the persistent poor GSM and internet services across the state, urging telecommunications operators and regulators to take immediate steps to improve service delivery.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion during Wednesday’s plenary session, sponsored by Aminu Gidado (APC, Sokoto South II) and seconded by Shamsu Aliyu (APC, Wurno).
Presenting the motion, Gidado said the quality of telecommunications services in the state had deteriorated significantly, causing frustration among residents due to weak network coverage, frequent call drops, delayed text messages and prolonged service outages.
He described telecommunications as an essential component of modern life, noting that poor network services were affecting virtually every sector of the state’s economy.
“Telecommunications services have become an essential component of modern life, facilitating communication, commerce, education, healthcare, banking, governance, security and emergency response,” he said.
The lawmaker lamented that network services in some parts of Sokoto State were often unavailable for several hours and, in certain cases, for an entire day.
“This disconnects citizens from their families, businesses, government services and emergency communication,” Gidado added.
According to him, the persistent network failures have negatively affected businesses, students, civil servants, security agencies, healthcare providers and financial institutions, resulting in economic losses and hardship for residents.
He also criticised the situation whereby subscribers continue to pay for voice and data services without receiving satisfactory value for their money.
Following contributions from other lawmakers, Speaker of the House, Alhaji Tukur Bala, put the motion to a voice vote and it was unanimously adopted.
As part of its resolutions, the Assembly mandated its relevant committee to invite representatives of GSM service providers and regulatory agencies to explain the causes of the recurring network problems and present a roadmap for addressing them.
The lawmakers also called on the Sokoto State Government to collaborate with relevant federal agencies and telecommunications companies to strengthen network infrastructure and improve the quality of GSM and internet services across the state.
