The Umbrella Body for telecoms service providers, ALTON, has said current N750 per litre Diesel is not sustainable and therefore seeks urgent Government intervention in next 7 days or approach the Regulator (NCC) for new upward and realistic price review
IT News Nigeria:
The Association of License Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has said the rising cost of diesel from N250nto N750 per litre is not sustainable and it urgently seeks Federal Government intervention in the next 7 days.
ALTON Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Mr Gbenga Adebayo revealed this Thursday during a press briefing on ‘Critical Developments in the Telecoms Industry – Call for urgent intervention’ in Lagos. He added that if nothing is done to reduce cost of energy the Association will approach the Regulator for a ‘realistic price’ review.
“All our projections at the beginning of the year was based on N250 per litre diesel price but now it is N750 as at today. It is not sustainable,” he said, adding that one of the immediate interventions from authorities could be diesel subsidy for telecoms operators to power cell towers.
He noted that ALTON will approach Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) for reasonable prising to ensure its members remain viable and it will also seek to pursue ‘discriminatory pricing for states like Kogi whose actions continues to impact negatively on the quality of service not only in the immediate environment but also nationwide.
“We are very concerned about the rising cost of diesel and its implications on the general high cost of business. We are concerned that unless there is an intervention to safe this sector, operators will have no choice than to begin a process of price review.”
Answering questions on the need to vary power sources like renewable energy, the Chairman said Batteries are easy target across Base Stations nationwide, adding, batteries are easy sell by criminals who vandalise Cell sites across the states.
ALTON also express its concern about the shutting down of telecommunications facilities in Kogi State because of disputes arising from unusual taxes and levies demanded by the Kogi State Government through the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS).
The action by KIRS was hinged on an ex-parte court order obtained by the KIRS over unsubstantiated allegations that our members are in default of tax payments to the state government (which is not the truth) and access to these critical telecom sites has been denied.
This issue is likely to lead to a total communications blackout in the entire Kogi State, parts of Abuja the Federal Capital Territory and possible impact on service availability in some parts of the following States: Nassarawa, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger States. These are States sharing borders with Kogi State.
