*Call for a probe by anti-graft agencies


Some Nigerians have slammed telecommunications giant, MTN’s appointment of former Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr Ernest Ndukwe and former Minister of Communications and Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, as its board members.

MTN recently announced that Ndukwe was taking over from Paschal Dozie as Chairman of the board while Johnson who was in the cabinet of the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, was mentioned as one of the newly appointed board members.

Speaking with makeitglobal.biz, the Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran said, “These appointments should be looked into. Serious investigations should be carried out. I honestly think they are trying to cover up for something. Some Illicit transactions must have taken place and they are trying to sweep them under the rug with those appointments.

“Remember that the NCC was reluctant to impose punishment on MTN when the firm was alleged to have violated the code of conduct for service providers. Basically, that is unethical. The Federal Government and the SEC are not expected to have allowed that. It means that they are also corruption compliant.

“We expect SEC and anti-corruption agencies, especially the EFCC and ICPC to step into it and probe the transactions carried out under the former EVC and ensure that if any illicit activities are uncovered, they should prosecute whoever is found culpable,” Adeniran stated.

Human rights activist, Comrade Mark Adebayo said that it was not only morally reprehensible but also an indication of prior underhand dealings that might have favoured MTN, which is a foreign business concern, at the detriment of Nigeria’s economic interests.

“The two former senior officials of NCC can legitimately be alleged to have compromised the integrity of their offices while in service and the trust invested therein.

“I am of the strong opinion that their activities while in office be thoroughly investigated by an antigraft agency, particularly the EFCC, to determine if they did or did not use the privileges of the offices they formerly occupied to commit economic crimes against Nigeria.

“I have serious suspicions that they have used their positions to shortchange Nigeria and their payback was their appointment into MTN’s board. It’s not in tandem with the best practices in the world and therefore irresponsible, preposterous and indefensible. It must be reversed immediately,” Adebayo said.

A Lawyer, Olumide Akindiya lamented about the lack of professionalism in MTN’s action. He added that it would only make MTN have more access to NCCs secrets.

“It would now be easier for MTN to lobby their way out of trouble because they now have a former insider on their team. NCCs confidential information will now be available for MTN to take advantage of.

“What MTN is doing is to keep playing smart with the government. I am not aware if such appointments are prohibited by the law. If they aren’t then they are to MTN’s benefit, having those two personalities onboard their team,” Akindiya stated.

But former 2nd Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Monday Ubani said there was nothing wrong in what MTN had done.

“These people are experts in their field. It is their expertise that has made MTN look towards that direction. If you want to have Nigerians on the board of directors of such a gigantic company, they would have to go for the ones who have the experience.

“MTN probably does not want to offend the laws of the land. They just want those two appointees to bring their knowledge and experience to help move forward the company. I won’t jump to the conclusion that the telecoms giant is trying to cut corners by appointing those who have worked with the Federal Government before. They no longer work with them so there is no foul play here. They just want them on board to help them not to break laws in regards to telecommunications in Nigeria.

“The company is trying to avoid a repeat of the huge fine they had to pay recently. They need those appointees on board so as not to fall into that kind of trap again. In the absence of any proof that MTN is trying to cut corners by appointing those two, I would rather stick with the opinion that they were selected based on their expertise,” Ubani added.

All efforts to get MTN senior spokesman to speak proved abortive.


https://www.makeitglobal.biz/top-news/mtn-controversial-appointments/


cc dominique Puskin FOD naijacutee

nothing bad in such appointment