BY QUADRI SALIU
The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has disclosed that while MTN Nigeria is on credit, the Globacom Nigeria Limited is indebted of N1.3 billion to FCDA.
It therefore vowed to seal all Globacom Nigeria Limited offices in Abuja over non-payment of the over N1.3 billion telecommunication debt.
Pursuant to several attempt to recover the debt that failed, FCDA has issued a 7-day ultimatum to the telecom to comply with the payment or risk business and switch premises being sealed up.
During a visit to some of the telecommunication’s critical infrastructures in Abuja, the Chairman, Finance and General Purpose Committee of the 7th FCDA board, Hussein Monguno, told journalists that the move was part of the efforts to recover the over N7.8 billion debt owed by several telecommunication companies to FCDA.
According to him, since the commencement of full liberalisation of the telecommunication duct network in 2004 Globacom has never complied with the payment of the lease agreement.
Monguno said although other telecommunication companies had responded positively, Globacom Nigeria Limited has failed to show any commitment.
“When we were sworn in to this board, the minister found it necessary to constitute a committee for debt recovery.
“There are about 7.8 billion naira or thereabout debt, being owed to FCDA by different telecommunication companies, we wrote them a letter. We invited them to come and either accept or disagree with the billing system because FCDA has a very good billing system.
“Some of them actually paid. As I speak now, MTN is actually on credit, and several others have paid, but the case of Glo is quite different. They have never responded and they are the highest debtors of N1.3 billion.
“FCDA has built this infrastructure to give them an enabling environment to operate. They have to reciprocate our effort by paying for the service. So, if they don’t pay the debt, we know what to do. They have signed an agreement, and the content of the agreement is very rich. We can do quite a lot, we can seal up this place and we can also disconnect them.
When asked on the negative impact the disconnection would cause its customers, the Chairman said “subscribers can choose to go to other network. Why will you have a network that will not be able to pay their debt?”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Zaliha’u Ahmed, said all efforts made to recover this debt have failed and every attempt to get M/s Globacom Nigeria Limited to reason with FCDA and make payments of their indebtedness has fallen on deaf ears.
