Subscribers of MTN mobile phone
and data services in Lokoja and its environs are presently experiencing
difficulty in accessing the services of the provider.
NAN reports that the development
followed the decision of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) ) to
shut the telecom service provider’s base stations in Lokoja, Obajana and other
adjoining communities.
There had been a lingering
dispute between the revenue board and MTN over the latter’s non-remittance of
taxes to the state government when due.
Jamil Isah, director, legal
services and enforcement of KGIRS, who led other staff to seal the base
stations of MTN, said that the action commenced on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Isah, the action is
due to the refusal of the telecom service provider to remit outstanding tax
liability of N120 million to the state government.
He chided the MTN for remitting a
paltry N250,000 out of the amount, describing the action as an abuse of the
restraining order the state government earlier placed on KGIRS to allow for
peaceful resolution of the dispute.
“The state governor heeded the
intervention of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) when its officials
came and ordered the opening of the sealed MTN base stations to allow for
negotiations,” he said.
“Since then, MTN did not take any
steps to redeem its tax obligations in spite of court orders and has failed to
make payment. MTN has engaged in various means to subvert the order of the
court.
“Only on Tuesday, Jan. 22, the
MTN offered a cheque of N250,000, which we outrightly rejected. This is a
manifestation of the resolve of MTN to disregard the laws of Kogi State, and to
use other government agencies to subvert court order.”
He said KGIRS would not hesitate
to shut all MTN base stations in the state if the service provider refused to
resolve the tax dispute.
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