State governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum have called on the Federal Government to ensure that the telecommunications firm, MTN Nigeria, pays in full the $5.2bn (about N1.04tr) fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
This was one of the outcomes of the forum’s meeting held on Wednesday evening inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting ended in the early hours of Thursday.
The NCC had imposed the fine on the firm for not deactivating SIM cards of unregistered subscribers.
There have been moves by the firm to have the fine either reduced or staggered by the regulatory body. The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, is currently intervening in the matter on behalf of the Presidency.
But the governors in a communique signed by their Chairman, Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara State commended the NCC for imposing the fine.
The decision was taken after the forum received a comprehensive brief on the development from the commission’s acting Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta.
“The Forum also commended the NCC for its strict compliance and enforcement of the law with regards to the fine issued to MTN and advised the Federal Government to ensure prompt and full payment.
“Hence the MTN has accepted that they committed the offence and has apologised, and they are looking for leniency, we the governors forum decided to support the NCC to abide by the laws of the land and the laws of our land do not give leniency to deliberate offence to our nation,” Yari said.
The forum also promised to collaborate with the commission in order to assist in boosting the telecommunication industry.
The governors also agreed to meet with stakeholders to articulate a robust strategy that would address the deplorable state of the nation’s economy.
Meanwhile, the governors have resolved to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to fashion a way out of the current poor state of the nation’s economy.
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