Phase3 Telecom, on Wednesday said that the company and Alheri Engineering limited are not owing the federal government N27.18 billion over a concession agreement on delivery of fibre optics cable with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
In a statement signed by the Company’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Mr. Azeez Adebayo, which was made available to Sharpedgenews online, on while disputing federal government’s claim over the debt said it refutes such gross erroneous publications making the rounds in some media houses, adding that such insinuations are far from true but intended to obscure what the real issues are.
According to Adebayo, attention of the management of Phase3 has been drawn to the false and scurrilous information that is making the rounds in a section of the media that Phase3 Telecom Limited and Alheri Engineering Limited owe the Federal Government of Nigeria the sum of $75, 500, 000.00 million (about N27.18 billion) over a concession agreement with Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“Despite deployment challenges including multi-year delays in linesmen allocation by TCN and devaluation of the naira, Phase3 assures that all undisputed payments such as total concession fee payment, royalties and rental payment for equipment space to TCN are up to date.” He said.
Adebayo, however said that although a dilapidated fibre optic was inherited from TCN, the company however has deployed 2000km and installed state of the art transmission equipment along with the rehabilitation of the existing fiber, adding both companies have expended more than $100 million as capital and operating expenditure on the project.
He also said that the issue at stake, which is bringing up all these unfounded allegations, is the attempt by TCN to resist the harmonization of the Right of Ways (RoWS) charges for deployment of fibre optic cables as agreed and communicated by the National Economic Council (NEC) towards affordable broadband services across the country, adding that this will naturally necessitate a review of the RoW charges for the deployment of fibre optics on power lines (concession fees) to be at par with other RoW charges available in the telecom industry.
“Fortunately, the contract review process towards ensuring the success of this project for the overall benefit of the country is currently under the supervision of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).” he said.
He expressed confidence that Phase3 Telecom, will be vindicated as it continue to provide affordable and robust service solutions that will see customers and other businesses rapidly leverage the opportunities of reliable broadband internet across the country.