AGENE GODWIN, Benin
The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), has criticised the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, for dragging President Muhammadu Buhari into the issue of the $5.2 billion fine imposed on the mobile telecommunications company, MTN, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The NGO insisted that the NCC should be allowed to carry out its statutory job without any interference from the presidency.
Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor while condemning the statement credited to the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu to the effect that President Buhari has the final say on the fine, noted that saddling the President with such a task was capable of undermining the anti-corruption war being prosecuted by his administration.
“We condemn the Minister for dragging the President into the issue of MTN fine. We expect the Minister to allow the NCC handle MTN professionally as an institution charged with that responsibility and not to unduly drag in the President, an action which could be misconstrued and converted to a subject for politicking.
“Which public interest is the Minister referring to? The law should be allowed to take its course uninterrupted. If there will be reprieve for MTN, the NCC which pronounced the fine in the first place, as a regulatory body should be allowed to also consider the reprieve for MTN and not Mr. President. The Communications Minister should spare Buhari and Nigerians, this problem.”
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari not to interfere in the issue of the fine as is proposed”, he said.
