Osun govt, MTN in dispute over N1bn Right of Way fee – Newstrends
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Osun govt, MTN in dispute over N1bn Right of Way fee

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Osun govt, MTN in dispute over N1bn Right of Way fee

Tech giant, MTN Nigeria, is currently locked in a dispute with the Osun State government over an alleged outstanding Right of Way (RoW) fee and penalty worth over N1 billion.

According to documents sighted by Nairametrics, the Osun State Government is demanding the tech company pay a sum of N945 million as RoW fees for 270 kilometres of fibre optic and a penalty fee of N100 million for an alleged non-payment of the fee.

However, MTN said it owed no fee as it had signed a legal contractual agreement with Odua Infraco, which is partly owned by the Osun government and licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and made all necessary payments to the company before laying its cables in the State.

The documents also revealed that Odua Infraco has the right of way for 1031.44 kilometres across four states (Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti States) for the construction and operation of fibre infrastructure, for which MTN signed a contract with the InfraCo.

Origin of the dispute 

Nairametrics learnt that the disagreement between the State and the tech company started with the former’s appointment of a consultant, Global Transaction Nigeria Limited (GTNL) to handle the collection of RoW charges even with the existence of Odua Infraco doing the same.

According to the documents, MTN’s business relationship with Osun State, through O’odua Infraco, was seamless until the company received a letter dated 14th September 2023 from GTNL introducing itself and informing the company of its appointment as Technical Consultant to the Osun State Ministry of Environment on telecommunications infrastructure within the state.

  • GTNL also informed MTN that it had been tasked by the Osun State Government to coordinate telecommunications infrastructure pursuant to the Osun State Environmental Protection Law 2022, including the inspection, audit, and monitoring of installations within the state to ensure compliance with the environmental laws and safety standards to protect the people of Osun State.

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  • Subsequently, by a letter dated 15th December 2023, GTNL notified MTN of an ongoing investigation of Odua Infraco’s activities in Osun State, alleging that Odua Infraco did not have any legal right to lay fibre optic cables within Osun State and requested for a meeting with MTN.
  • At the meeting, GTNL informed MTN that there was a plan to terminate Odua Infraco’s Right of Way and Easement Agreement with Osun State owing to O’odua Infraco’s alleged breach of its terms of appointment, non-remittance of fees to Osun State’s account, contravention of the Osun State Environmental Law, and illegal award of right-of-way to telecommunications operators including MTN.

However, Odua Infraco in a letter dated January 20th, 2024 sent to MTN countered GNTL’s allegations and insisted that its Right of Way and Easement Agreement with Osun State Government was still subsisting.

Amid efforts to resolve the matter, MTN received two letters from GTNL with Demand Notices both dated 25th March 2024, requiring the company to pay N945 million for its fibre cable plus N100 million as a penalty.

Regulatory intervention 

While the consultant to the Osun State Government, GTNL, is insisting on the payment of over N1 billion by MTN, Newstrends learnt that the matter is now before the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Department of the NCC.

The telecom regulator is currently seeking a way of resolving the issue which is about to cast a dent on its infrastructure project.

  • Recall that NCC in 2018 under its InfraCo project aimed at fast-tracking the deployment of fibre optic cables across the country, licensed Odua Infraco Resources Limited for South West alongside 4 other companies including Brinks Integrated Solutions Limited for North East Zone; Fleek Network Limited for North West; Raenna Nigeria Limited for South-South; and Zinox Technology Limited for Southeast.
  • Before that, MainOne’s subsidiary, Infraco Nigeria Limited and IHS were the first two companies to be licensed in 2016 to cover Lagos and the North Central zone including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
  • However, IHS later returned its licence, which was re-issued to Broadbased Communications Ltd. in 2021.

Osun govt, MTN in dispute over N1bn Right of Way fee

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Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has described President Bola Tinubu as an epitome of wealth with no interest to loot Nigeria’s resources.

Olawande stated this while speaking at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch in Abuja.

The minister also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president, noting that in no distant time there will be positive changes.

He said, “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of the citizens will be transformed.

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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper; he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria.”

Olawande continued, “He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury.”

He emphasized that the administration is putting in efforts to transform the lives of Nigerians through various policies of the federal government.

Olawande thanked the staff of the ministry for being supportive of the government policies and assured them that their welfare will not be compromised.

Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 32.15% in August 2024 down from the 33.40% recorded in July 2024, reflecting a decrease of 1.25 percentage points.

This represents the second consecutive monthly slowdown in inflation after easing in the previous month.

This is according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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However, on a year-on-year basis, the August 2024 inflation rate was 6.35 percentage points higher than the 25.80% rate recorded in August 2023, indicating a significant increase over the past year.

On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate in August 2024 stood at 2.22%, slightly lower than July’s rate of 2.28%, signaling a slower pace in the increase of the average price level compared to the previous month.

BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six young men in a hotel located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin City with fake letterheads, stamps, and forged signatures belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its chieftains.

The young men, who were apprehended with incriminating materials such as printers, mobile phones, power banks, laptops, and a photocopy machine, are believed to have been involved in drafting and circulating fake PDP letters and statements.

Their objective was to paint the PDP as instigators of unrest ahead of the forthcoming Edo governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The arrest, which was made following a tip-off, uncovered an elaborate scheme allegedly designed to discredit the PDP and its leaders by sending fabricated documents to unsuspecting journalists.

These fake letters and statements, according to police sources, were intended to portray the party as warmongers and troublemakers in the run-up to the critical election.

A police officer involved in the operation, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the suspects had been using the hotel as their base of operations for weeks.

“We found that these individuals were using forged PDP letterheads, stamps, and signatures to create fake documents.

“Their goal was to send out these documents to journalists in an attempt to misrepresent the PDP and create an atmosphere of tension ahead of the elections,” the officer said.

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In addition to the counterfeit materials, the police discovered that the young men had several technological devices, including laptops and printers, which they used to produce and disseminate the fraudulent documents.

“Their setup was sophisticated. They had everything they needed to make the documents appear legitimate, from forged letterheads to printers.

“We also found power banks, mobile phones, and a photocopy machine, which they used to mass-produce the fake letters,” the officer added.

Further investigation has revealed that the six young men were funded by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Meanwhile, another police source disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has come under intense pressure from senior APC figures, who are reportedly pushing for the release of the arrested men.

“Since the arrest, there has been immense pressure on us from certain chieftains within the APC, urging the command to release these individuals.

“We believe that their involvement with these young men is being covered up, and they are worried about the potential fallout from this arrest,” the source noted.

A journalist with one of the prominent national newspapers, who had been unknowingly receiving fake statements from the group, expressed shock upon hearing about the arrests.

“It’s alarming to think that we’ve been receiving statements from people who were impersonating the PDP. This shows how low some people will go to try and sabotage the other party. The integrity of this election is now under serious question,” the journalist stated.

The Edo State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but sources within the command say investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain in custody.

Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures

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