By Correspondent in Lagos.
The Federal government now has seven days to resolve critical issues affecting the telecommunications industry or telecommunication operators, including Globacom, Airtel, MTN and others will have cause to raise their tariffs.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), who spoke on behalf of the telecom operators at a press conference stated this in Lagos on Thursday.
The chairman of the association expressed concern over the face-off between Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS),Glo and Airtel telecom companies over tax issues.
He noted that the seizure of cellular sites in Kogi concerns about degrading quality of services in Abuja, high cost of diesel, inflation and safety of telecom workers, adding that the developments constitute the issues presently bedevilling the telecom industry.
Adebayo said that all the telecom operators had expressed their concern about the shutting down of telecommunications facilities in Kogi State, because of disputes arising from taxes and levies demanded by the Kogi State Government, through KGIRS.
“The action by KGIRS was hinged on an ex-parte court order obtained by the KGIRS over unsubstantiated allegations that our members are in default of tax payments to the state government (which is not the truth) and access to these critical telecom sites has been denied.
“This issue is likely to lead to a total communications blackout in the entire Kogi State, parts of Abuja the Federal Capital Territory and possible impact on service availability in some parts of the following States: Nassarawa, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger States.
“These are States sharing borders with Kogi State’’, the ALTON’s chairman,” noted.
However, the Acting Executive Chairman, KGIRS, Alhaji Salihu Sule Enehe, during a Press Conference in Lokoja on Thursday told Journalists that the network facilities of Glo and Airtel in the state were sealed off by KGIRS because the two telecom companies refused to pay taxes due to the state government.
He said contrary to the court issue raised by association,”the one we dealing with right now is on Social Service Contribution Levy, (SSCL),both individual and corporate bodies.This is under the extant law of Kogi State Harmonisation Law ,2017.”
According to him, the issues highlighted in the petition of the association is the case of business premises, bordering on whether the telecommunication mast(network facilities) can be regarded as Business Premises by virtue of Section 2 of Kogi State Business Premise Law of 2017.
“The matter was decided by the Federal High Court, Lokoja in favour of the Telecom Association against the Registrar of Business Premises, Kogi State and four others of which the State filed a notice of appeal thereto and now before the Court of Appeal, Abuja,” he added.
Meanwhile, as the effect of the sealing off of the network facilities bite harder on socio-economic life of various segments of population in the state, subscribers of the two telecom companies, in separate interview with The Reporters have called on the parties involved in the issue to engage in round table, with a view to finding lasting solution to the problem.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
