The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator, has secured a N221 million waiver permit for MTN from the Kano State government. The waiver, which came timely, is to help MTN complete a network infrastructure upgrade and fibre layout in the state.
According to information gathered yesterday, some staff of Huawei, working on the telecommunication infrastructure expansion in Kano on behalf of MTN, were arrested by the officials of the government’s agency, Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KANUPDA), a development which put a stop to the project.
The situation could have adverse effects on Quality of Service experienced among millions of service subscribers in the state and beyond, before it was swiftly nipped in the bud.
It was gathered that Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, had to make an unscheduled visit to the State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the government magnanimously waived the permit fee of N221million for the deployment of fibre infrastructure in that state.
Danbatta was said to have convinced the Governor about the economic advantages that the state stands to gain from the deployment of more telecommunication infrastructure as well the potential quality of service issues that millions of service subscribers would face if the work was further delayed.
In a letter signed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, KANUPDA, Bashir Mudi Adamu, and addressed to MTN, the agency, however, said the waiver of permit fees was granted in respect of two federal roads, Zaria Road and Maiduguri Road in the state.
Strategic collaboration and partnership with other relevant agencies and stakeholders is a key component of the eight Point Agenda the NCC boss unveiled last year.
Recall that a similar intervention by the NCC boss in Ogun State last year, resulted in the unsealing of 47 base stations under lock and key, while the Governor, IbikunleAmosun, also reduced the ground rent fee owed by IHS Towers from N370 million to N120 million.
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