Osun govt urges NCC to sanction MTN over unpaid statutory taxes

Tunde Adeleke, Osogbo

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

Taylor who doubles as the Chairman of Global Transactions Limited made the call, on Monday in a statement made available to Journalists in Osogbo.

He appealed to Nigerian government to ensure that companies like MTN fulfil their constitutional obligations.

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 ₦1,000,000,000 to our country, this noble act comes off as questionable when the same company owes Osun State over ₦900,000,000.”

“One cannot help but wonder whether this “gift” is genuinely philanthropic or a ploy to buy more time to default on their tax payments.”

The Consultant emphasised that “the fact that a multinational company can lay over 270km of cable in a state like Osun State, yet fail to make any payment to the state for this infrastructure, is deeply disappointing.”

” Despite numerous letters written to MTN Nigeria and even a representative from the company visiting Osun State and making promises, the state has yet to receive a single penny for the cables laid within its borders. This raises serious concerns about the company’s commitment to its obligations and responsibilities.

“Multinational companies must be held accountable and expected to obey the law. Companies like MTN ought to set a good example by first paying their debts before engaging in high-profile donations that may be perceived as an attempt to create a false impression of corporate responsibility. ”

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 it’s position, as an arbiter, to ensure, Osun State is not defrauded of it’s legitimate income by MTN. It is also hoped that MTN Nigeria will prioritize fulfilling its financial obligations to the state before seeking public praise for its charitable contributions,” he added.