LAGOS — The Federal Government, yesterday, said it would neither be cowed nor threatened by MTN’s court action against the N1.4trn fine which was later reduced to N780 billion, insisting that the telecommunications company risks another fine if it fails to pay on deadline.

Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, made the statement yesterday in reaction to the suit instituted by the telecom operator at a Lagos High Court, weekend.

The minister, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare, however, admitted that MTN had the right to seek court’s interpretation if it feels unsatisfied with the action of the regulator but made it clear that nothing would stop the government from imposing additional fine on the operator, at the expiration of the deadline.

According to the minister, “it is the right of MTN to approach the court but there was an infraction, which MTN admitted to have committed before it pleaded for leniency that led to the reduction of the fine from N1.4 trillion to N780 billion and the subsequent December 31, 2015 deadline to pay.

“If it has decided to go to court, it is still within the ambit of the law. I will not intervene, since they have gone to court, we will allow the court to decide if it is right for MTN to commit those infractions and breach the laws of the land.”

He, however, said that “it is unwise for MTN to go to court after the Federal Government had magnanimously reduced the fine. It will surely be fined for violating the rule at the expiration of the deadline, should it fail to pay the initial fine.”

Why we are in court —MTNMTN

Meanwhile, MTN, yesterday, also insisted that its action was induced by commitment and belief in the long term sustainability of its business.

According to the company’s Human Resources & Corporate Services Executive, Amina Oyagbola, “the N780 billion fine has potentially dire consequences for the company, its employees, partners, stakeholders as well as the entire Nigerian telecommunications industry.

Being a significant contributor in Nigeria, MTN has an obligation to protect the interests of its ecosystem of millions of Nigerians who are directly and indirectly affected by its business operations and continuity.

According to Oyagbola, “the decision to seek judicial determination was reached after careful consideration of all factors, including extensive attempts at a sustainable resolution. It is important to state that seeking judicial determination was a last resort. We hold the Nigerian Government, its national objectives, laws and regulations in the highest regard.”

She, however, added that notwithstanding the action, the company will continue to engage with the Nigerian authorities in an effort to reach an amicable resolution in the interest of all stakeholders.

The NCC sanctioned MTN for refusing to remove over 5.1 million unregistered telephone subscribers from its network.

The regulator fined the telecoms operator N1.04 trillion, but later reduced it by 25 per cent after the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, amid pressure and negotiations from the company’s parent body in South Africa.

The NCC also reviewed the deadline from November 16 to December 31, 2015.

Ahead of that date, the MTN Group, last Thursday, said in a statement from Johannesburg, South Africa, that it was taking legal action over the matter and subsequently filed the suit at the weekend, lining up about six Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs.

According to the firm, since its previous advice to its shareholders on December 4, 2015 that all factors relating to the sanctions were thoroughly and carefully considered, including a review of the circumstances that led to the fine and subsequent reduction by NCC, there were enough grounds upon which to challenge the fine in court.

Claiming to act on legal advice, MTN queried the manner the fine was imposed, describing it as “not in accordance with the NCC’s powers

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/n1-4trn-fine-fg-calls-mtns-bluff-says-dec-31-deadline-subsists/

Mtn get this money...... I no d like make dem d pity doz people....

Empty-hen

APC supporters working in MTN will decamp to PDP once MTN offices are locked up



MTN keep the fight in the law court.

Hmmm igbeyi aye...................

They have gone to court...

They should remain there

Increase the fine or close their business, after all who no get second line these days?..............

When they charged us 50k for sim card, imposed validity period on their recharge cards, charged us exhobitantly per minute calls,force us 2 subscribe to callers tune and other short SMS, did we sue them?

Make MTN no let me vex ooooooo

Yhunoos:
They have gone to court...

They should remain there

God bless you

Make we echo am wella until MTN and APC hear am

Buhari must kneel down and beg MTN for money to finance his government.

greatiyk4u:
Increase the fine or close their business, after all who no get second line these days?..............

When they charged us 50k for sim card, imposed validity period on their recharge cards, charged us exhobitantly per minute calls,force us 2 subscribe to callers tune and other short SMS, did we sue them?

Make MTN no let me vex ooooooo

Yes oooo

No come buy wailers form when

1) Staff of MTN lose their source of livelihood

2) Banks internet and SMS services flop

3) Browsing becomes a little bit difficult and expensive due to pressure on other networks.

let's see how this unfolds

He already reserved one am sure of that

EternalTruths:



Yes oooo

No come buy wailers form when

1) Staff of MTN lose their source of livelihood

2) Banks internet and SMS services flop

3) Browsing becomes a little bit difficult and expensive due to pressure on other networks.

Yhunoos:
They have gone to court...
They should remain there

One bottle of warm Orijin for u bruh

MTN should pay up lets starts our budgets thing, besides you guys reduced the money. 2016 budget would have been called MTN 2016 budget

LAGOS — The Federal Government, yesterday, said it would neither be cowed nor threatened by MTN’s court action against the N1.4trn fine which was later reduced to N780 billion, insisting that the telecommunications company risks another fine if it fails to pay on deadline.

This time around make it a round number like 5 Trillion then they will know we ain't joking.

The laws and rules and regulation was there before.

The amount per unregistered sim has always been there.

MTN should structure their payment and move on. This is not a Govt you can brine its officials.


Wailers are yet to come to terms with that

Demmocrats:
MTN should pay up lets starts our budgets thing, besides you guys reduced the money. 2016 budget would have been called MTN 2016 budget

You are right,that is a better moniker than the zero budget

31st is just 9 days away.

This MTN people self

They must pay!

EternalTruths:


God bless you

Make we echo am wella until MTN and APC hear am

Buhari must kneel down and beg MTN for money to finance his government.

Never knew some were born brainless.What a shame

And why did the FG reduce the fine sef, shebi it's MTN that we knw, they have the money jare

Should MTN concern as claimed by its human resources official based on sentiments I wish to say that it lacks legal base. Sure they have the right to challenge our change but I wonder how they gonna win. watching from STAR

dammytosh:
The laws and rules and regulation was there before.

The amount per unregistered sim has always been there.

MTN should structure their payment and move on. This is not a Govt you can brine its officials.


Wailers are yet to come to terms with that

MTN has created more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs

MTN has positively affected millions of families


By the time those jobs and benefits are destroyed by APC, PDP Secretariat will run out of wailers form.

EternalTruths:


Yes oooo

No come buy wailers form when

1) Staff of MTN lose their source of livelihood

2) Banks internet and SMS services flop

3) Browsing becomes a little bit difficult and expensive due to pressure on other networks.

If MTN leaves 2day, other more advanced network will surely take over, when they were not here were we dead?......more pressure on other networks will need more workers, ur logic holds no ground.

Mtn?

greatiyk4u:


If MTN leaves 2day, other more advanced network will surely take over, when they were not here were we dead?......more pressure on other networks will need more workers, ur logic holds no ground.

Dreamer

Foreign investors are avoiding Nigeria

Who wants to invest in a country whose exchange rate is unstable and nose diving


Did you do economics in school