Suspension of SIM card registration to trigger worse form of insecurity, Telecom association warns
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Arewa Telecom Operators Agents and SIM card Dealers Association (ATOASDA) has warned the Federal Government against inadvertently triggering a worse from of insecurity in the country with the suspension of SIM card registration.
The Telecom dealers stated that the recent suspension of sale, registration and activation of SIM Cards by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, has rendered not less than two million youths jobless.
The association at a press conference in Kaduna on Monday expressed concern over the development which it said may worsen insecurity in the country.
The President of the association, Hassan Yakubu, stated that as a registered association under corporate affairs commission of the federal republic of Nigeria, the association is in support of measures taken by the FG to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry.
However, he said that rendering two million youths jobless would only worsen the situation.
He pointed out that all available research works on the causes of insecurity across the country have been linked primarily to youth unemployment.
“The suspension of SIM card registration may trigger another worse form of insecurity especially in zones most affected by the insecurity, in fact, the growth in the Telecom sector is determined by the very sub-sector that was suspended and the much celebrated 17% contribution by Telecom sector on the GDP was as a result of the activities of the sub-sector under suspension.
“We therefore wish to advise that, the federal government can still achieve the desired result as well as avoid creating more problems in an attempt to solve a problem if the suspension is revised immediately to avoid the danger the suspension may expose the youth.” Yakubu stated.
He explained that the income of the telecoms business partners, staff and the agents, majority of who are mostly between ages 20 to 40 years in the value chain is determined by the number of activations /SIM registration carried out within the month.
