The minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu yesterday said he will meet with the Senate Committee on Communications today as well as face the House of Reps counterparts on Thursday to explain his role in the N50 billion payment paid by MTN and the withdrawal of court case against the government.
Shittu who fielded question to technology journalists in Lagos yesterday during a working visit to three telecommunications operating companies, MainOne, MTN and Globacom said the request of the lawmakers was in order. The legislature is empowered by law to check, from time to time, the activities of the executive arm of government with a view to ensuring transparency in the system, he said.
“The latest about the MTN fine matter now is that, MTN, which took the government to court for imposing N1.04 trillion on it for violation of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration rule has come out to say it wanted an out of court settlement.
In a democratic system, out-of-court arrangement should be encouraged for peaceful resolution of any matter and we have accepted their offer to settle out of court. “We have also given them conditions to withdraw the case and make some commitment payment in good faith for us to begin further negotiations and they have down the two.
“But the lawmakers are saying they wanted clarifications on the two matters for which I am ready to address first before House of Representation tomorrow (today) and later in the Senate. I am, indeed, more than prepared to discuss how the whole exercise is going with the lawmakers,” he said.
The Senate had summoned the Shittu, alongside the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to explain their role in the claim that MTN Nigeria Limited had paid N50 billion to the Federal Government.
The summon, which was contained in a statement dated March 3, was signed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, Gilbert Nnaji. Also to appear before the Committee on the same issue are the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria.
The committee in the statement titled: “Urgent legislative intervention on the alleged controversial payment of N50 billion by Telecom service provider, MTN, with regard to the fine of N780 billion imposed on it by NCC,” has mandated all those included in the summon to appear before it on March 10, 2016.
The committee noted that in the course of its oversight function in relation to the sanction of N780 billion imposed on MTN, NCC could not offer any proof of receiving money from MTN.

http://telltimes..com/2016/03/n780bn-ill-meet-lawmakers-today-over.html

OK.

I just dey imagine say I get N780bn for my account

Unless u be politican

SMARTKOSSY:
I just dey imagine say I get N780bn for my account

Oma307:
Unless u be politican

Nope....Business can give u dat too...Esp oil and gas and walmart.

I don't understand this ooh.


Are they afraid that MTN will win the court case?

Someone wants an out of court settlement and u are still afraid that they wouldn't withraw the case? ( I think b4 someone will want an out of court settlement, he/she must be willing to withraw the case without any conditions, after all, na dem Ee suppose favor) why is this FG playing the villain game here?


NCC sanctioned someone under their arms, and u (FG) want to negotiate without consulting the people dat gave out the sanctions in d 1st place.

U did not consult the NCC, they had no knowledge of N50b MTN paid, so, where did d money go to?

Reducing from 1. Something trillion to 700+billion and den pushing to reduce more? What impression are u giving other stakeholders that are under NCC? That they should violate the law of the land and den meet the FG for negotiations upon negotiations?

In that case, u re rubbishing the NCC laws and it is not good for a FG that has been clamouring to get it right.

Nigeria lawmakers can not be taken serious by any organization.
well, it's still a good move to question the NCC, MTN is not expected to pay the fine at once unless they want to send them packing.


on a second thought, whose interest are they trying to protect MTN or NCC or their own?

780 Billion Naira vs 50 Billion Naira..


This is unacceptable for an out of court settlement.

Unless the FG had no real case against MTN and the fine was based on somebody just shouting out an insane figure rather than on a clearly defined matrix of measurement.

But 50 Billion is way way too small to use to settle this case.

We are waiting for your defense

Read well

Don't rush to comment

MTN was the one that withdrew the court case and opted for out of court settlement instead

The approach used by the government is based on flexibility . I am sure that they had a minimum amount as part of their strategy before they sanctioned MTN

chigoizie7:
I don't understand this ooh.


Are they afraid that MTN will win the court case?

Someone wants an out of court settlement and u are still afraid that they wouldn't withraw the case? ( I think b4 someone will want an out of court settlement, he/she must be willing to withraw the case without any conditions, after all, na dem Ee suppose favor) why is this FG playing the villain game here?


NCC sanctioned someone under their arms, and u (FG) want to negotiate without consulting the people dat gave out the sanctions in d 1st place.

U did not consult the NCC, they had no knowledge of N50b MTN paid, so, where did d money go to?

Reducing from 1. Something trillion to 700+billion and den pushing to reduce more? What impression are u giving other stakeholders that are under NCC? That they should violate the law of the land and den meet the FG for negotiations upon negotiations?

In that case, u re rubbishing the NCC laws and it is not good for a FG that has been clamouring to get it right.

I'm not of the mood of seeing Shittu!



ThefakeStan

Atleast mtn go vommit small of the money wey them thief for inside our credit..

So upon all the many many raking wey FG rake, na only 50 billion Mtn come pay?

Government of Jokes

It's part payment

They will need to make more payments

Okijajuju1:
780 Billion Naira vs 50 Billion Naira..


This is unacceptable for an out of court settlement.

Unless the FG had no real case against MTN and the fine was based on somebody just shouting out an insane figure rather than on a clearly defined matrix of measurement.

But 50 Billion is way way too small to use to settle this case.

Imagine say dem dash me 1billion frm dis money

Ok

This FG is full of noise makers and toothless chihuahuas

OK let's go there

Okijajuju1:
780 Billion Naira vs 50 Billion Naira..


This is unacceptable for an out of court settlement.

Unless the FG had no real case against MTN and the fine was based on somebody just shouting out an insane figure rather than on a clearly defined matrix of measurement.

But 50 Billion is way way too small to use to settle this case.

It is a goodwill payment before commencement of negotiations.

Oma307:
Unless u be politican

You no fit get am if you be polithiefian

abiolag:
Imagine say dem dash me 1billion frm dis money

Let's calculate. Nigeria population is..150/160/180 abi na 200m. This MTN fine willl conveniently remove,eradicate,assasinate,murder,kill,destroy,paralyse,sentence,banish and execute poverty completely from Nigeria if shared at least 10m, ok too much, 5m per person and the politicians can share the rest amongst themselves. Where is Udoji?

Oma307:
Unless u be politican

which party Dangote dey?

SMARTKOSSY:
I just dey imagine say I get N780bn for my account

Don't just imagine work towards it, God willing you are there.


guy but at least milla first make u no go maga