The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the telecommunication giant, MTN Nigeria, complies with its directive and pay without delay, the $2 billion tax arrears as well as the $8.13 billion allegedly repatriated to South Africa.
NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, noted that MTN was not above the law, and should not be treated differently from other corporate organisations which have received knocks from the government over lesser tax infractions. Wabba, who demanded a probe of the telecommunication firm by antigraft agencies, lamented that even as 60% of MTN’s global income comes from Nigeria, the firm has been engaged in what he described as “unwholesome economic exploitation and sabotage.”
According to him, NLC has been vindicated for picketing MTN offices across the country in July this year, over breach in labour laws, local content law and security and other acts of impunity, which led to fatalities of security personnel in the North-East.
His words: “We at NLC hereby urge MTN Nigeria to comply without further delay the directive of the Federal Government to pay $2 billion in tax arrears, as well as the $8.13 billion it was said to have illegally repatriated to South Africa over which four indigenous banks have been fined. “We similarly urge the Federal Government to spare no effort in recovering this money as anything to the contrary will send wrong signals to other corporate organisations it had punished for lesser tax infractions. “The need to enforce this order is all the more compelling when it is realised that workers pay taxes they can ill-afford, but religiously pay all the same.
“It is also worth noting that government’s tax reforms have been skewed in favour of corporate organisations, there is no reason for a default. After all, every taxable person is expected to pay their tax as and when due. If companies default, with what is government expected to run the country or conduct its business? “In our view, this incident is a major crime against the government and people of Nigeria. On our part, we are not surprised by the unethical conduct of MTN. They are not only engaged in the exploitation of Nigerian workers and turning them into slaves, but have extended their frontiers to unwholesome economic exploitation and sabotage.
“The questions on everyone’s lips are: How many times has MTN done this? How many other companies are doing this? “In our candid view, government should use this opportunity to send an appropriate message to everyone, especially corporate organisations who often pay taxes in the breach. Coupled with this, government’s tax reforms will only make meaning if they are judiciously and judicially executed.” The organised labour urged critical government agencies such as NCC, EFCC, DSS, Immigration and Central Bank to closely look into the operations of the company.
