SAN FRANCISCO, February 09, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has declared that before any out-of-court settlement with the mobile telecommunications company, MTN, can be honoured, the company must pay a substantial part of the N780bn fine slammed on it for failing to deactivate unregistered subscribers.
The Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, who disclosed this on Monday, stated that the infractions were committed under the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, which opted to look the other way, adding that it took the courage of the government to apply the law.
He declared that the telco violated extant laws for which it accepted responsibility and wrote a letter of apology, promising to be a responsible corporate citizen. He explained that MTN begged for a revision of the sanction, “which Mr President graciously acceded to”, but the company turned around to say it had no money to pay.
Shittu said the government replied by asking MTN to write a letter stating why it will go down after paying the fine and attaching a statement of its account so that the government will realise the dangers the payment will constitute to its financial health.
The Minister said he received a call from the telco informing him that it was going to court, stressing that since the matter is now before the court, the government will wait for the court’s decision.
While reiterating his earlier position that nobody wants South Africa-own company dead, he explained that the company violated the laws for which there are consequences.
