Stop harassing legitimate investors, CSOs tell ICPC
Our reporter
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) have been called upon to stop harassing businesses and investors that are carrying out legitimate activities in the country in order to avoid chasing away more investors out of the country.
The call was made in Abuja Tuesday by a coalition of civil society groups which comprise of Competent Government for Accountability and Civic Trust (CGACT), South-South Youth Peace Mission (SSYM) and Beyond Boundaries Legacy Leadership Initiative (BBLLI).
In a statement made available to Daily Times, jointly signed by Ambassador Omoba Michael and Comrade Omaga Daniel, Deputy President SSYM and Executive Director BBLLI, respectively,
the coalition picked holes on the charges raised by ICPC against the Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, Modibbo Kawu, the Chairman and Executive Director of Pinnacle Communication Ltd Sir Lucky Omoluwa and Dipo Onifade, adding that
“First, the petition on this matter was written against ITS and not Pinnacle Communication, of which the petitioner accused ITS of supplying sub-standard equipment/refurbished materials for the Digital Switch Over (DSO), and till date those site ITS claimed they have worked on which are ilorin, Oshogbo, Enugu and Jos are not working yet.
They have accepted that during the process of their investigation they, ICPC decided to drag Pinnacle Communication into the matter.
“NBC lincencee, Pinnacle Communication only worked in Kaduna and Abuja DSO respectively and has been commissioned by the government. In Kaduna it was through Governor Nasir El-Rufai and the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, on 25 December, 2017.
While the National launch of the DSO was done by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on 22 December, 2016, at the site of Pinnacle Communication in Mpape, Abuja, using Pinnacle facilities.
“These are the two sites Pinnacle Communication worked on and there is no problem with these sites or petition against their work. The N2.5 billion was Payment for a job well done and commissioned by the Nigerian State.
The payment was done 6 months after Pinnacle had executed their part of the job 100%.
With the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammad, being the supervising Minister of NBC, to have signed the seed grant payment alone, shows that everything was checked and in order before such payment was made under this administration that scrutinizes everything,” the statement said.
Continuing, the coalition said that contrary to ICPC allegation that the N2.5 billion seed grant was not legally paid to Pinnacle Communication, that the White Paper stipulated that the NBC should do everything possible for ITS and Pinnacle to have the same level playground because ITS already has 157 broadcasting installations across Nigeria via NTA.
Giving ITS 1.77 billion naira while pinnacle who has zero broadcast installations from NTA was still giving 2.5 billion naira both in dollar equivalent is not a fair deal.
“And these are some of the anomalies that made pinnacle Communication to sue NBC to court.
That after paying the sum of 650 million naira to the Federal Government as licensing fee so they can qualify as second signal distributor still they are not getting all the necessary assistance from NBC. So where is the illegality coming from according to ICPC?
“Pinnacle Communication Ltd has met its obligations and if ICPC has done its investigations thoroughly they would have known all this instead of wasting their time and tax payers money trying to tarnish the image of an organization and that of the chairman who should be commended for a job well done
“The presidency has not complained about Pinnacle Communication Ltd and its job. The media trial and cheap blackmail used by ICPC to try to extort money from businessmen and blackmail them because some people within the ICPC think they can do whatever, is unacceptable.”
According to the statement, ICPC goofed during the cross examination process in court by one of their own witnesses, Charles Adama who was quite petty in his allegations and submissions to the honorable court, when he said that what really caught the attention of the commission towards the Pinnacle Boss was his philanthropic acts towards Churches, mosque and charity organization.
“ICPC should call its media officials to order and stop misleading the public particularly when this case is still in court and be professional in order not to tarnish the image of well-meaning Nigerians in the private sector,” the statement concluded.
