Osun Wants NCC to Sanction MTN over Unpaid Statutory Taxes

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The consultant to the Osun State Government on telecommunications infrastructure, Mr. Rotimi George Taylor, yesterday urged the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to sanction MTN over unpaid dues of over N900 million to the state government.

The consultant, who is also the chairman of Global Transactions Limited, made the call while addressing a press conference with journalists in Osogbo.

Taylor, who also reacted to the recent donation of N1 billion to the Nigerian Government’s Food Support Programme and 4,600 units of digital devices for distribution to schools by the telecommunications provider, MTN Nigeria, noted that the company like MTN should have fulfilled their constitutional obligations before the donations.

He expressed sadness that “imagine a company like MTN that laid over 270km of cables in Osun State and refused to pay Statutory Taxes, is being allowed to make that donation without paying the taxes which can never happen in elsewhere.”

Taylor stressed that for operating in the state and did not complying with relevant laws and regulations as well as having huge unpaid bills was a bad omen.

He appealed to the Nigerian Government to ensure that companies like MTN fulfil their constitutional obligations before allowing such a company to meet any leaders.

According to him, “I have dealt with many multinational companies, but I have not encountered what MTN Nigeria is doing. While it is ordinarily commendable for a multinational company to donate N1,000,000,000 to our country, this noble act comes off as questionable when the same company owes Osun State over N900,000,000.”

Taylor stressed that the people of Osun State deserved transparency and fairness from multinational companies operating within their borders. “It is imperative that NCC lives up to its position, as an abitra, to ensure that Osun State is not defrauded of its legitimate income by MTN. It is also hoped that MTN Nigeria will prioritise fulfilling its financial obligations to the state before seeking public praise for its charitable contributions,” he stated.