Again, NCC Absolves Minister Of Involvement In Office Space Allocation Process

• MTN Pays First Installment Of 2019 Tax Ahead Statutory Deadline

THE Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC) has, again, clarified that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, was never involved in the process of offer of office allocation to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission ( NIDCOM) at the NCC’S Communications and Digital Economy Complex located at Mbora District,

Abuja, as the public was being made to believe.

The Commission reiterated this position in a statement signed by its Director Public Affairs, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, yesterday, saying: “For the avoidance of doubt, the minister was never involved in the offer to the office space nor in the withdrawal of the offer for same office space. The minister should not, therefore, be brought into the issue.”

According to Nkemadu, the decision to withdraw the offer was purely of the NCC, the custodian of the office complex, adding: “It should, however, be made abundantly clear that the withdrawal of the offer of the office space, which was unconditionally given, in the first instance to NIDCOM, was informed by exigencies and change in priorities within the NCC, which led to the taking back of the office space earlier allocated with intention of finding a suitable replacement for NIDCOM.” Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria has initiated payments for its 2019 Company Income Tax ( CIT) obligations ahead of the statutory deadline of June 30, with the first installment already paid.

The move followed the request by the Federal Inland Revenue Service ( FIRS) to corporate taxpayers whose operations are able to remain open during the COVID- 19 pandemic to pay their taxes ahead of established deadlines.