The National Communications Commission (NCC) has completed an Emergency Communication Centre in Edo State to provide a system for prompt responses during emergencies.
Umaru Garba Danbatta, New NCC boss The Director of Special Duties Department, NCC, Mr Oluwatoyin Asaju, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki at Government House in Benin City.
Asaju said the centre is specially designed for responding to all 112 emergency calls and to direct each call to the appropriate agencies for prompt response, adding, “The 112 code is toll-free and once the code is dialled, it informs the appropriate agencies such as Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, of any incident that is reported within the state.”
He noted that the state government needed to take over management of the centre as well as the deployment of representatives of the various security outfits to the centre before it could be launched.”
He also appealed to the state government to provide dedicated power supply to the centre as the facility is operated with diesel, adding that the commission had taken charge of the training of personnel to operate the Emergency Centre.
In his response, the Governor represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Taiwo Akerele, noted that the partnership between NCC and the state has yielded a positive result, adding that his administration would leverage on the Emergency Communication Centre to improve the quality of life of the people in terms of rescue, emergency and recovery.
“We will ensure that we take full ownership of the centre and take responsibility for its maintenance,” he said. He assured of provision of a dedicated power line to the centre, noting that the state Ministry of Communication and Orientation would educate residents on the operations of the Emergency Centre.
