By Olabisi Olaleye
THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), yesterday in Abuja, disclosed that the lifting of the ban on regulatory services on MTN Nigeria was not predicated on the N50 billion part-payment it made recently.
The Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr.Tony Ojobo, said that NCC reviewed MTN’s plea and also took into consideration the fact that it has abated all the infractions that gave rise to the suspension of regulatory services by it.”
Ojobo further disclosed that the infractions included but not limited to tariffs and promotions by MTN in letters from NCC on May 4, 2015, May 9, 2015 and May 25, 2015 respectively to withdraw unapproved tariffs and promotions specifically MTN Trutalk and MTN Best II promotions.
He added that compliance checks on MTN showed that it had failed and deliberately refused to comply with the directives issued by the Commission. In spite of that, it continued to introduce additional promotions in utter disregard for the NCC directive, contrary to the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and Regulation 8(2) of the Enforcement Regulations 2005 and the relevant provision in the guidelines for advertisement and promotion.
Further communication with MTN in letters dated June 19, 2015 and July 13, 2015 did not in any way discourage the operator from these infractions.
Consequently, in a meeting between the NCC and MTN management on October 5, 2015 it was resolved that:
“The lifting of the ban on regulatory services is in no way related to the fine the Commission imposed on MTN on October 20, 2015, for failure to deactivate 5.2 million improperly registered SIM cards for which a fine of N1.04 trillion was imposed. These infractions predated this fine”.
NCC further urged MTN “to ensure that it maintains good regulatory standing with the Commission at all times to avoid future occurrence.”
In lifting the suspension of regulatory services on MTN, “the Commission expects total compliance with NCA, 2003, regulations and the terms and conditions of licences issued to MTN and will not hesitate to impose necessary sanctions where it flouts any provision of the foregoing regulatory instruments.”