Civil Society Coalition Petitions EFCC To Investigate Nigeria Communications Commission
NCC Vice Chair, Eugene Juwah
By SaharaReporters, New York
The demand concerns a report in the January 16 edition of Leadership newspaper, which stated that the NCC executive commissioner, (Technical), Dr. Bashir Gwandu, was removed in November 2012 by President Goodluck Jonathan in connection with “a controversial secret and uncompetitive sale of frequency spectrum to some companies for meager amounts.”
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, CSNAC noted that the report also drew attention to allegations that the removal was actually based on Dr. Gwandu’s opposition to the following seedy transactions at the NCC:
• The sale of 450MHz Spectrum to OpenSkys ltd, an unlicensed company reportedly owned by Mr. Emeka Offor and powerful associates for the sum of US$6million for a license valued at over US $50 million. The frequency slot is said to belong to the Nigerian Police Force.
• The N1 billion Naira waiver granted to MTS, reported to have been applied for by Mrs. Omobola Johnson (Minister for Communication). The NCC Executive Vice-Chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah was allegedly given some “sweat shares” in MTS, and he has reportedly not divested or relinquished the shares as required by the NCC act under conflict of interest.
• The sale of 10MHz slot in 800MHz spectrum band to South African Company Smile Nigeria Communications Limited for the sum of 13milllion Euros when the exact equivalent spectrums were sold in Germany, Italy and France for 1.153 billion Euros, 992 million Euros and 891million Euros respectively. In the UK the same spectrum was set at a minimum reserved price of 450million pounds before going for auction.
According to CSNAC, Leadership further reported that the NCC spokesman, Mr. Ojobo, stated that Dr. Gwandu’s claims were investigated by a committee and found to be false.
The group pointed out that earlier, on October 7, 2012, The Guardian newspaper online reported being told by Dr. Juwah that the NCC had followed due process in the allocation to OpenSkys Ltd and that the process began in 2009, long before his assumption of office. The NCC, according to The Guardian, claimed that the allocations were not only in compliance with the Nigeria Communications Act, but also in full implementation of a presidential directive of July 5, 2007.
“The veracity of these allegations or denials is yet to be properly addressed,” CSNAC said. “The consequence of this will be a disruption in the telecoms market as it will be unfair to telecom competitors/investors willingness to continue their investment in the same market where such pricing disparities exist.
“Secondly, the government is set to record over N53billion estimated loss in revenue. This colossal loss is estimated to be sufficient for the provision of over 60 international standard hospitals across the country to safe preventable deaths resulting from lack of adequate medical facilities. In addition to the incapacitation of the voice component of the US $470 million police surveillance network, the cost of retuning the network to another spectrum was estimated at $44 to $200million, pushing the sum total of losses to the government to over $60 million.”
The petition described as “a wonder” the fact that the Nigerian government would be willing to lose billions in revenue without proper investigation of these allegations especially where the government has had to borrow to finance its budget.
“CSNAC echoes the concern of the Leadership newpaper article that the message this present administration is sending to the Global community is that fight against corruption is not a priority and is only against those that are far from the corridors of power or perceived to be in opposition.”
CSNAC is a coalition of over hundred and fifty Anti- corruption organizations whose primary aim is to constructively combat corruption vigorously and to ensure the effective monitoring of the various Anti-graft agencies in its activities in the fight against corruption and to enthrone transparency, accountability, probity, and total commitment in the fight to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
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