Governors partner NCC to check multiple taxes

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The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, are currently exploring ways to check multiple regulations and taxation in the telecommunication industry, the Executive Vice Chairman, EVC, of Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has said.

He said the development would not only improve service delivery and right of way but lead to the expansion of telecommunications infrastructures across the country.

Besides the talks with the Governors Forum, Prof. Danbatta said other agencies of government are being carried along to improving relationship with telecommunications Service Providers who are often the victims of multiple taxes and regulations.

Prof. Danbatta made the remarks in Abuja when he received the management team of ATC Wireless Infrastructure Company of Nigeria (ATC Nigeria) in his office.

In a statement issued by the NCC’s Director of Public Affairs Tony Ojobo, Prof. Danbatta expressed concern over the issue of multiple regulations and taxes, saying the industry cannot grow as expected under the present circumstance.

“So we have decided to engage all stakeholders especially other government agencies in order to cushion the pains operators go through,” he said.

Danbatta said; “the NCC is particularly worried about the indiscriminate way base transceiver stations are sealed by agencies and some State governments and we have appealed to these agencies and the State Governors to show some understanding.

“We are particularly in talks with them to understand the implications of these actions as they affect quality of service and other sundry matters, including power supply.”

According to the statement, Prof. Danbatta implored ATC Nigeria to ensure regular power supply to the managed base stations in order to make a difference, considering the enabling environment created by government for businesses to thrive.

The Chief Executive of ATC Nigeria, Mr. Gordon Porter said his team came to familiarize itself with the NCC management, said the statement. “We are here to tell you what we do, how we do it and why we do what we do,” Mr Porter added.

The statement further said ATC recently acquired 4716 cell sites from Bharti Airtel Nigeria and for the past 146 days it has deployed 1,000 generators and replaced 600 air-condition units.

It added that so far over $11Million has been invested by the company on these towers with a view to improving quality of service very significantly.

Source: The Nation