House Committee rejects reduction of MTN fine, insists on N1.04tr

The House of Representatives Committee on Communications has rejected the reduction of the fine imposed  on MTN Nigeria Ltd to N300 billion, it has  insisted that the full fine of N1.04 trillion must be paid by the leading telecommunications company.

The Committee also ordered all parties involved in the matter to stay action pending the outcome of its investigations.

The Committee Chairman, Hon. Saheed Akinade Fijabi, Oyo APC,has summoned the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Umar Danbata, to appear before it on Monday for  explanation  on the reduction of the N1.04 trillion fine despite that the House has insisted that the fine must be paid in full.

Fijabi on Friday expressed surprise at the news of the reduction saying  that it does not in  agreement reached with the Minister, and the NCC and the Attorney General of the Federation, that all negotiations should be suspended until the House concludes its investigations.

“And the question now is who is doing the negotiation leading to this latest development? The last time the minister was here, he said there was no ongoing negotiation with MTN until the report of the committee was out and the resolution reached by the House. So I am wondering where this is coming from”, he said.

“In the NCC Act and ancillary laws that were used to fine them, there is no where it was stated that the fine could be reduced. And as a House we are still maintaining our earlier stand that MTN must pay the N1.04 trillion fine,” he stressed.

Fijabi   recalled the President Buhari had captured the damage caused by the failure of MTN to adhere to regulations, thereby enabling the use of unregistered sim cards by terrorists to perpetrate evil in the Northeast leading to the death of over 10,000 Nigerians.

The lawmaker therefore wondered why the issue of the fine was being handled with such triviality, despite the implication of the offence.

It would be recalled that MTN had been penalised by the NCC for failing to deactivate 200,000 unregistered SIM cards regulations.