The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has threatened to shut down Globacom Nigeria Limited telecommunications network in Abuja over non-payment of over N1.34 billion debt.
The FCDA said the telecommunications company has failed to act after several letters on the debt which had accumulated since 2004, hence the last resort to seal its network infrastructure bases in the city.
Addressing journalists during a visit to Glo’s network infrastructures in Abuja, the Chairman, Finance and General Purpose Committee of the 7th FCDA board, Hussaini Monguno, said his committee would use every legal means to recover the debt.
He said the committee has the mandate to recover over N7.8 billion debt owed the FCDA by several telecommunication companies.
He said since the commencement of full liberalization of the telecommunication duct network in 2004 Globacom has not paid.
Monguno said while other telecom service providers have responded positively, Globacom Nigeria Limited has failed to show any commitment.
“There are about 7.8 billion naira or thereabout debt, being owed to FCDA by different telecommunication companies, we wrote them a letter. We invited them to come and either accept or disagree with the billing system because FCDA has a very good billing system.
“Some of them actually paid. As I speak now, MTN is actually on credit, and several others have paid, but the case of Glo is quite different. They have never responded and they are the highest debtors of N1.34 billion.
“FCDA has built this infrastructure to give them an enabling environment to operate. They have to reciprocate our effort by paying for the service. So, if they don’t pay the debt, we know what to do. They have signed an agreement, and the content of the agreement is very rich. We can do quite a lot, we can seal up this place and we can also disconnect them,” he said.
When asked on the negative impact the disconnection would cause network subscribers, the chairman said customers can choose other networks.
Also speaking, the acting Executive Secretary, (FCDA), Zaliha’u Ahmed, said all efforts made to recover the debt had failed and every attempt to get Globacom Nigeria Limited to reason with FCDA and make payments of their indebtedness has fallen on deaf ears.
She said Globacom’s indebtedness to FCDA on the lease of telecommunications duct amounts to N1,337,441,027.60
“We will not hesitate to seal up all their operations, with a view to ensure that they pay the debts.”
“For the past six months, we have been writing them. We have written several letters and several reminders. We have invited them for meetings, but they disregard all these, so we don’t have any other option than to do what we are doing,” she said.
At one of Glo’s offices on No. 13 Kolda Street, Wuse 2, Abuja the Head of Rollout, who identified himself as Tayo Otta, said as far as the recovery of the debt was legal, there was no problem about it.
He declined further comments.