NCC halts action on MTN over court ruling

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it would suspend actions on the fine imposed on MTN Nigeria until the court gives its verdict.

The largest telecommunication outfit in the country filed a suit in the court to challenge the punitive measure of the commission.

Commenting on the issue in a chat with Reuters,  Adebayo Shittu, the minister of communications, who spoke through Victor Oluwadamilare, his media aide, said he the government arrived at the decision to put the matter on hold because it respects the rule of law.

“The federal government, NCC (regulator) or any government agent will not do anything at the expiration of the Dec 31 deadline,” the agency quoted him as saying.

“Now that they (MTN) have gone to court we will await the outcome of the case. This is a government that believes in the rule of law.”

On October 26, the NCC slammed a fine of N1.04 trillion on MTN for its failure to disconnect 5.1 million SIM cards.

The fine was later slashed to N780 billion, a review of 25 percent.

Shittu had earlier threatened to sanction the telco if it failed to meet the December 31 deadline.

“It is the right of MTN to approach the court but there was an infraction, which MTN admitted to have committed before it pleaded for leniency that led to the reduction of the fine from N1.4 trillion to N780 billion and the subsequent December 31, 2015 deadline to pay,” he had said.

“If it has decided to go to court, it is still within the ambit of the law. I will not intervene, since they have gone to court, we will allow the court to decide if it is right for MTN to commit those infractions and breach the laws of the land.

“It is unwise for MTN to go to court after the federal government had magnanimously reduced the fine. It will surely be fined for violating the rule at the expiration of the deadline, should it fail to pay the initial fine.”