Rotimi Taylor, the consultant to the Osun State Government on telecommunications infrastructure, has urged the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to sanction MTN for failing to pay over N900 million in dues owed to the state government. Taylor, who also serves as the Chairman of Global Transactions Limited, made this appeal in a statement released on Monday in Osogbo.
He called on the Nigerian government to ensure that companies like MTN fulfill their constitutional obligations.
According to him “I have dealt with many multinational companies, but I have not encountered what MTN Nigeria is doing. While it is ordinarily commendable for a multinational company to donate ₦1,000,000,000 to our country, this noble act comes off as questionable when the same company owes Osun State over ₦900,000,000.”
“One cannot help but wonder whether this “gift” is genuinely philanthropic or a ploy to buy more time to default on their tax payments.”
The Consultant emphasized that “the fact that a multinational company can lay over 270km of cable in a state like Osun State, yet fail to make any payment to the state for this infrastructure, is deeply disappointing.”
” Despite numerous letters written to MTN Nigeria and even a representative from the company visiting Osun State and making promises, the state has yet to receive a single penny for the cables laid within its borders. This raises serious concerns about the company’s commitment to its obligations and responsibilities.
“Multinational companies must be held accountable and expected to obey the law. Companies like MTN ought to set a good example by first paying their debts before engaging in high-profile donations that may be perceived as an attempt to create a false impression of corporate responsibility. ”