Mobile Phone Technicians Berate Govt, Manufacturers

Mobile phone technicians in Nigeria have expressed displeasure that 12 years after the introduction of global system for mobile telecommunications (GSM) in the country, both the government and the manufactures are not taking concerted efforts to train artisans.

Speaking on behalf of the members, Mr. Kehinde Ige Ojo-Apara, president, Association of Mobile Communication Device Technicians of Nigeria (AMCODET), said that, the advent of GSM in Nigeria brought a great relief to subscribers and ushered in an era that has radically changed the socio-economic life of an average Nigeria.

Unfortunately, 12 years after, there has been no deliberate attempt by many mobile phone manufacturers to officially train Nigeria technicians on how to repair and maintain millions of devices being brought into the economy on daily basis, even as government is aware of the need.

Keninde while speaking at the Association’s seminar in Lagos recently said that: “As a 21st Century profession in Nigeria, the job of GSM phone repair and maintenance has remained critical and important to Nigeria’s telecommunication and socio-economic development.

Ironically, in Nigeria, today, Mobile phone technicians have not been getting the well-deserved attention and support needed to protect this profession. We the technicians have been laboring and working indirectly or directly for all the stakeholders in the mobile telecommunication business.

 “Government at various levels have been agitating for diversification of Nigeria economy in different ways and also, reasons why there should be a deliberate review of our obsolete education curriculum into more vocational and technical education which would without doubt translate into higher productivity and more development in terms of GDP and our national per capital income,” he said.

He said as a result of the neglect, phones and other communication devices users are left to their fate on how to repair or maintain their communication gadgets.

“Special kudos, to Nigeria and Nigerians for their ability to survive in any situation; a lot of try and error tactics were applied before many of us finally became experts in phone repair and maintenance. But today, Nigeria can make boast of having the best mobile phone technicians in Africa.

 “One major thing the introduction of GSM brought to Nigeria is the employment. But, today, the problem of unemployment has worsened as millions of school leavers and graduates are unemployed for the sheer lack of skills or training to function in today’s labour market.

He said that the aforementioned challenges inspired the formation of the Association in the last one year, to cater for the welfare of the members and pressurize government to do the right thing that will benefit the subscribers especially.