The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has filed a suit to understand the judicial interpretation of the oversight function of the National Assembly (NASS), a clear indication of frustration after several summons by the law makers.
Before the suit was filed in February, NASS had on several occasions issued summons, invitations often clashes with the schedules of CEOs involved in the matter.
Gbenga Adebayo, ALTON Chairman, who made this known at a press briefing in Lagos claimed that the situation is affecting telecommunication companies.
“We are private companies and not government establishments; funds that we administer in our various organisations are not appropriated by the Federal Government.
“It is somehow to receive an invitation from parliament asking you to come and explain internal things or asking for your payroll, how much you pay your staff and why you pay them the way you pay them,” Adebayo said.
He added that ALTON would want the court to define the extent of NASS’s oversight function related to telecommunications companies, already subjected to the regulations of Nigeria Communication
Commission and the Ministry.
The chairman said that ALTON would also wish to know the specific nature of information, which NASS should ask from private companies.
“For instance, the issue of tax is between the companies and the Federal Internal Revenue Service, while how much we pay our staff is a contract between us and our employees.
“The nearest agency which can ask this is probably the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for reasons of compliance with minimum wage policy.
“NASS is asking that the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) must appear before it.’’
Adebayo said that the association had no problem with NASS performing its oversight function through its committee on communications.
“But when different committees such as those on health and environmental are asking for the same data for different reasons and insisting on the appearance of CEOs, it is not ideal,’’ he said.
He added that the association was asking for a court order restraining NASS from serving any other summons to telecommunications companies until the determination of the substantive matter.
