ABUJA — THREE Federal Government agencies joined the Senate yesterday in slamming MTN, the mobile phone operator, for creating an artificial scarcity of its recharge cards through its failure to pay stipulated Customs fees.
Telecommunications regulator, National Communications Commission (NCC), the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) were among stakeholders present at the consultative meeting summoned by the Senate Committee on Commerce. MTN, citing earlier submissions to the Senate Committee on Communications boycotted the meeting.
At the end of the consultative meeting, the Senate Committee on Commerce, however, urged Customs in the interest of suffering Nigerian customers of MTN to release the impounded recharge cards pending payment of outstanding liabilities owed government by the company. The resolution was, however, insistent that MTN should, like all other mobile operators be compelled to pay its obligations to the government.
As the interactive session got underway yesterday, NCC boss, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe traced the difficulties being experienced by MTN customers in obtaining recharge cards to the inability of the operator to clear its outstanding recharge cards at the ports.
He rebuffed claims by MTN that the problem arose from hoarding along the supply chain as according to him, investigations by the NCC had traced the problems to payment schedules by MTN at the Customs. He vowed that the commission would not hesitate to slam punitive sanctions on MTN should its investigations show conclusive facts on the operator's culpability.
The Consumers Protection Council (CPC) also supported Mr. Ndukwe’s assertion as he said that investigations by the body had shown that MTN was not putting enough recharge cards into the supply chain. Mr. Julius Nwagwa, a Comptroller of Customs from the Imports and Exports section of the NCS, giving insight into the crisis accused MTN of violating the concessions given it in the past as he affirmed the determination of the Customs to compel the mobile operator to conform to the rules.
According to him, MTN like some other importers were given concessions on imports, but he said that such concessions were cancelled following observations of abuse. Among the abuses by MTN he said, were the company’s failure to clear past debts. No figure was, however given for outstanding liabilities by MTN which declared a profit of more than N40 billion from Nigerian operations last year.
Following the submissions, Senator Saidu Dansadau, a member of the Senate Committee, insisted that MTN must be compelled to pay its obligations before the recharge cards could be released as he affirmed that Nigerians had a choice between MTN and other providers.
“MTN should pay its taxes. Let's be frank with ourselves; whoever flouts the law should be charged to court. Nigerians have a choice, if MTN doesn’t want to bring its cards, then they can switch to other networks. They should discharge their obligations to the Nigerian government. At the appropriate time, we will get the MTN to come and they should pay, if not Customs should not release their cards,” Senator Dansadau (ANPP, Zamfara) submitted.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the session yesterday, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce pleaded with the Customs to release the recharge cards in the interest of Nigerians who he said were suffering from the consequences of the actions and inactions of MTN.
