Reps move to sanction MTN, Airtel, other defaulting coys on CSR

 

.Differ with MAN  on regulation.

 

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

 

The House of Representatives Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (SCR) has resolved to sanction MTN, Airtel, and other companies for failing to perform their Corporate Social Responsibilities.

The committee said that it would enact laws to sanction any offenders in that regard.

Rep. Oby Orogbu, the Chairman of the Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, said this during a public hearing in Abuja on Tuesday on “a Bill to regulate corporate social responsibility in Nigeria.

She, however, gave MTN and Airtel the last warning to honour the committee’s invitation or face the arrest warrant.

According to Orogbu, some companies operating in the country have overtime violated the law, hence the need for punishment to be imposed on them.

She also frowned at the conduct of the National Communications Commission, MTN and Airtel, adding that they had several times ignored the invitation of the Committee.

She said that the committee had no choice but to invoke its powers by issuing a warrant of arrest.

“Section 89, 8 of the Constitution mandates individual companies as invited to make themselves available to parliament, but they break the law.

“I want to tell MTN and Airtel that they take so much from our nation and they feel too big to appear before the parliament; we will not tolerate that.

“We gave them the powers to operate in Nigeria, so to refuse to honor the invitation of the parliament is a no-no; we take exception to it.

“I have taken all friendly measures to make them understand the need to appear before the parliament, but they have refused.”

“If you feel you are responsible, then you should appear before the parliament. We want you to be responsible and accountable,” she said.

She said that in spite of operating from across the country, they had disrespected the same nation by not honoring the House invitation.

Mr. Wondi Ndanusa, who spoke on behalf of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said that the CBN is in support of the bill.

He expressed concern about the proposed penalty of imprisonment for defaulting companies, stating that the penalty should rather be persuasive.

He also said that many companies were faced with a lot of financial burdens and responsibilities, adding that the proposed SCR should be domiciled with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Mr Bala Wuoir, the representative of the Oil Producers Trade Section, expressed concern that the PIA already mandates oil companies operating in Nigeria to make a financial contribution of three per cent of their profits to NDDC.

He said that mandating them do so again would be burdensome, adding that oil companies should be exempted from the bill

 

.Differ with MAN  on regulation.

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The House of Representatives Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria MAN has expressed divergent positions on the need for the regulation of corporate social responsibility in the country.

 

Whereas the House Committee insisted that corporate social responsibility should be regulated by the government to ensure appropriate protection of the host communities by companies and other corporate entities, the manufacturers union said that it should not be.

 

They canvassed the divergent positions at a one-day public hearing on ‘a Bill to regulate Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria and for Related Matters’ on Tuesday at the National Assembly.

 

Speaker of the House Rt Hon.Tajudeen Abbas in an opening remarks said that corporate social responsibility is a social obligation that corporate organisations discharge to their stakeholders, individuals and communities in the society.

 

He noted that oftentimes the practice of corporate social responsibilities are rarely coordinated and documented.

 

According to the speaker, the Bill  when enacted into law is to provide legal status to corporate social responsibility for better coordination and regulation.

 

Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility Hon.Prof Lilian Orogbo canvassed for a robust  and comprehensive framework for corporate social responsibility in Nigeria.

 

She noted that Nigerians have witnessed the transformative power of responsive businesses that proritize the well-being of their employees, communities and the environment.

 

The lawmaker also hinted with the with the enactment of  corporate social responsibility law, the legislation has the potential to unlock great possibilities for the private sector, fostering sustainable development and creating a more just and equitable society for all.

 

Notheless the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria said that the reintroduction of the bill for enactment into lawn will be anti-progress and corporate social responsibility should be made optional for companies.

 

Speaking at the event the National President of MAN represented by Dr.Kamarudeen Adigun a member said that corporate social responsibility should be be made a moral thing and not a regulation to be enforce by the agencies of the government.

 

Meanwhile the House Committee had lamented that many telecommunications operating companies in Nigeria are not not being social responsibe to their host communities.

 

The Committee chairman who threatened to invoke the powers of the House to compel the appearance of the telecommunications operating companies also blamed the Nigeria Communications Commission NCC for their operational lapses.

 

She assured of the readiness of the House to pass the bill into law adding that the committee will ensure international best practices that will protect both the companies and the citizens of Nigeria.