The tension and high anticipations trailing the N1.04 trillion fine the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, imposed on MTN Nigeria and the November 16, 2015 payment deadline, melted in utter confusion, Monday, as both the commission and the telecommunications company released very little information on whether the payment was made or not, on deadline day.
While MTN Group issued a statement, addressing its shareholders, intimating them of ongoing negotiations with the Nigerian government on the issue, the NCC went into memory lane with its own statement, explaining why it imposed the fine.
Neither MTN in its 4-paragraph statement or NCC in its 19-paragraph press statement paid much attention to the deadline which all Nigerians were looking forward to.
Even as most of the NCC’s reasons for the fine were already in public domain, the commission failed to provide adequate information as to whether MTN has paid the fine or not, what manner of negotiations were going on between the two parties and apparently when the new deadline would be.
Stakeholders kick: Some Nigerians, who felt they were taken for granted in such a sensitive issue, queried why it would take MTN Group based in South Africa to tactically reveal that the deadline has been shifted.
A Lagos based Valued Added services provider, Mr fatai Adebayo said “ I still cannot believe that on deadline day for an unprecedented fine of this nature, the NCC has rightly imposed on MTN, the commission itself has refused to say what is going on or make statement on way forward. It even took the parent company of the offender, for us to know there are negotiations going on and therefore the payment was not made.
It seems MTN is winning in this case, with a strategically executed Public Relations plan. It obviously should not be the case. NCC should wake up and speak more on this saga.”
Negotiations continue: The MTN statement, reads “Shareholders were advised in previous SENS announcements that the Company would update shareholders on all material developments on this matter.
Shareholders are advised that the Executive Chairman of the Company, Mr Phuthuma Nhleko, has personally met with the Nigerian authorities to continue the ongoing discussions with them regarding the fine of N200,000 for each unregistered subscriber, the fine, the equivalent of US$5.2 billion imposed on MTN Nigeria by the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC. These discussions include matters of non-compliance and the remedial measures that may have to be adopted to address this.
Although the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC set a deadline for payment of the fine by Monday, 16 November 2015, shareholders are advised that the Nigerian authorities have, without prejudice, agreed that the imposed fine will not be payable until the negotiations have been concluded.
“ MTN is committed to resolving the matter together with the NCC as soon as possible and will continue to update stakeholders of any material developments regarding the afore-mentioned fine via SENS. Accordingly, shareholders are advised to continue to exercise caution when dealing in the Company’s securities until a further announcement is made”.
We acted in public interest- NCC
Meanwhile, the commission has restated that the fine was imposed in public interest. The lengthy NCC statement, signed by its Director Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, reads: “Following the sanctions placed on MTN Nigeria, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), members of the public have expressed diverse interest as to what actually transpired.
The fine was a result of violation of Section 20(1) of the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulation of 2011.For more read Vanguard
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