Reps summon Malami, Shittu, NCC, over MTN fine

Member stages walk-out over minister’s absence at meeting

The House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunications has summoned Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami; Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu; Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Garba Danbata and other stakeholders over the sudden reduction of the fine slammed against MTN Nigeria over regulation breaches.

The development came as a member of the committee, Johnson Agbonayima, staged a walkout in anger when the panel was informed of the minister’s absence at the meeting with the stakeholders over the matter yesterday.

Meanwhile, other angry members threatened to ensure zero budgeting for the Ministry of Communications and withhold NCC’s for sanctioning MTN’s offer of N330 billion to Federal Government without recourse to the parliament.

The Saheed Fijabi-led committee was further infuriated by media reports last weekend that the amount had finally been reduced to N330 billion, and that agreement had been entered into with MTN on the modality of payment, while demanding more clarifications from those involved in the negotiation.

Consequently, the committee chairman issued the summon yesterday, saying the stakeholders must appear before the panel next Monday at 11:00 a.m.

Confirming the development to the committee yesterday, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Sonny Echono who represented Shittu, said government had approved the N330 billion as “the whole and final fine against MTN”, and that this came after procedural engagements involving a ministerial committee as well as the inputs of the AGF.

The committee, which had given a directive that all matters relating to the fine be put on hold pending the outcome of its investigation, was not happy too that the final negotiated amount was reached without recourse to the National Assembly.

Echono explained that they saw the House’s ongoing investigation as an “independent” effort, which outcome should not stop the progress so far made.

He stressed that the negotiation process was carried out transparently, and that the outcome has “received the blessing of the highest office of government,” a submission the representative of NCC and its Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, concurred.

Specifically, a member of the committee, Diri Douye, who expressed dissatisfaction with how the fine was negotiated downward, noted that the action might set a dangerous precedence in the sector.

Earlier in his remarks, Fijabi, who lamented that the public had inundated the committee with petitions and terse outburst regarding the basis for NCC’s further unilateral action, said, among others: “The same minister that accused the House of delaying the settlement when he appeared during the sectoral debates was not around for the meeting and there was no reason for that only for the chairman of the committee to be calling him and after one hour, we were still waiting.

“Why should the minister disregard the National Assembly even when he was the one that accused us of delaying the settlement. They went behind and entered into an agreement without reaching out to the National Assembly. If a decision should be taken, the National Assembly should be carried along.

“Nigerians want to know how the agreement was reached, whether the person that reached the agreement has the constitutional right.”

“What is saddening us is that we are working on what MTN had proposed, they are the one dictating to Nigeria, telling Nigeria what they want to do. We must work within the ambit of law. If the law says the Executive has the right, okay. I walked out because it was a disrespect to the National Assembly.”