₦1tr MTN Fine: NSA Takes Over Case As NCC Tries To Explain Why Nigerians Experience Poor GSM Services

National Security Adviser

The Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) has taken over the US$5.2billion fine issue against MTN from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Sources told Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday that the MTN/ NCC ₦1.04trillion fine issue was beyond NCC as the Presidency was now treating the case as a national security issue which is being handled by the ONSA.

This came as NCC yesterday gave MTN up to November 16, 2015 to pay the penalty or risked more severe sanctions, which may include suspension of license.

Daily Trust report continues:
A senior federal government official told our reporter that “ONSA took over the case because it was discovered that MTN deliberately wanted to sabotage the fight against kidnapping and insecurity by refusing to disconnect 5.2million unregistered people on its network.”

However, an Abuja based lawyer, Barrister Abubakar Sani has berated the NCC over the fine slammed on MTN Nigeria by Nigeria Communication Commission over unregistered subscribers on MTN network.

Speaking during a telephone chat with our correspondent yesterday, Abubakar Sani said that the fine was excessive.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has passed a resolution to investigate the Nigeria Communications (NCC) and four service providers over alleged non-compliance with the directive to deactivate unregistered subscribers under the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

The four service providers to be investigated are MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat. The House passed the resolution after adopting a motion by Rep Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun).
The House said that despite the directive to service providers to register all subscribers on their networks, the four service providers are yet to do such.

Similarly, the House would probe NCC over the ₦6.1 billion appropriated for SIM registration exercise by the National Assembly in 2011.

Supporting the motion, Minority Leader Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), sought for an amendment to the original motion, saying there was need to investigate NCC’s ₦6.1 billion for SIM registration, which was adopted.

Giving the breakdown of subscribers not captured by the four service providers as at December, 2014, Rep Oke said MTN had 18.6 million, Etisalat, 9.46 million, Airtel, 7.4 million and Glo, 2.33 million.

Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West). | Photo: Sani Maikatanga

Why Nigerians Experience Poor GSM Services, By NCC

Daily Trust reports:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has attributed erratic services experienced by Global Services Mobile (GSM) subscribers to inadequate number of masts in the country.

Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, stated this in Kano yesterday at a workshop on electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure organized by the NCC.
Professor Danbatta said Nigeria has only 38,000 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) spread across the country, as against the total estimated national requirement of about 80,000 BTS.
“We need more masts across the country to improve services. Members of the public should therefore allow service providers to erect more masts so that the GSM services can improve,” he said.

The vice chairman said contrary to speculations, GSM masts are not harmful to public health, adding that not all radiations are dangerous. He maintained that the commission was also concerned about safety.

“NCC organized the workshop in order to enlighten the public about the radiation being generated from GSM masts. Experts in the field of radiation will brainstorm during the workshop and come up with useful information that will help the public understand how the masts work,” he said.

Also speaking, the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the workshop is timely, noting that Nigerians expect more laudable initiatives from the NCC.

Represented by his deputy, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, Ganduje said Nigerians need to know more about radiation from GSM masts.

He urged the NCC to ensure that members of the public are well informed on its activities.