ntel gets Acting CEO, Abhulime Ehiagwina as Abass steps down

ITRealms:

The acclaimed Nigeria’s first 4G/LTE-Advanced network, ntel, has announced the departure of Kamar Abass, its pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, reports ITRealms.

The Director, External Affairs, ntel, Mr. Osondu C. Nwokoro, told ITRealms in a press statement that Mr. Abass has stepped down from his role as CEO due to urgent personal and medical considerations.

“The NatCom board has named Abhulime Ehiagwina as Acting CEO and the company will embark on the search for a substantive CEO in due course,” he said.

ITRealms recalls that Mr. Abass joined the Board of Directors of NatCom in 2015 as the CEO of ntel and led the company through launch on April 8, 2016 with operations in Lagos and Abuja and then subsequently in Port Harcourt by December 2016.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and holds an MSc in transportation planning & management from the University of Westminster, London, UK as well as an MBA from Cranfield University’s School of Management, Bedfordshire, UK.

With wide ranging experience in the global telecommunications industry Kamar Abass led ntel to record a string of firsts; first advanced 4G/LTE network providing superfast Internet access that enables voice, data video and TV on demand; first network to make a 4G data call  on Monday January 18, 2016; First network to make a VoLTE Call on Tuesday, February 23, 2016; First 4G/LTE Advanced network to begin full operations in Nigeria  on Friday 08 04 2016 in Lagos and Abuja; First network to launch a bespoke 4G/LTE dual-SIM phone in Nigeria.

Abhulime Ehiagwina, holds a BSc Accounting degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, an MBA from the University of Lagos and an Advanced Management & Leadership Programme (AMP) certificate from the Said Business School, Oxford University, UK.

Prior to joining ntel as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Abhulime was CFO & Board member of Helios Towers Nigeria, where he oversaw the Finance and IT functions. He helped grow the Company EBITDA by over 300% in 3 years and raised a $250m Eurobond, first non-bank or Oil/Gas Company out of Nigeria. He also sat on the board of Interswitch as a non-Executive Director during this period. He has over 25 years financial management experience.

The company has assured all stakeholders that it remains committed to existing obligations and will honour same. It has also clarified that the leadership transition will be smooth and orderly in accordance with no impact on its operations.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: Change of guards – (l-r) Capt. Hosa Okunbo, Executive Director, Dr. Olatunde Ayeni, Vice Chairman, Abhulime Ehiagwina, Acting CEO & CFO, General TY Danjuma, Chairman, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, Director, Nkechi Newton-Denila, Executive Director, Legal/Company Secretary and Dan D. Kunle, Director all of ntel during a courtesy call on General Danjuma by the board to present the Acting CEO, today.

NATCOMS drags NCC, MTN to court, wants fine nullified

ITRealms:

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOM) has dragged both the MTN Nigeria Communications Limited (MTN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to a Federal High Court in Ikoyi-Lagos, for alleged neglect and “untold injuries” to Nigerian subscribers, reports ITRealms.

NATCOM also wants the court to declare the N1.4trn fine imposed on the MTN as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Reacting to the fine slammed on MTN by NCC, NATCOMS national president, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo made this disclosure to ITRealms, saying that they have instituted a case at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Friday, November 6, 2015 on suit number FHC / L / CS / 1663 / 2015 on the estimated N1 trillion fine against MTN.

NATCOMS, ITRealms gathered wants the Court to stop NCC from implementing the recent fine on MTN, arguing that they failed in the statutory duties to establish, maintain and conduct monthly updates of the Central Database from 2011 till 2015.

NCC, NATCOMS president said, failed to efficiently maintain the Central Database inspite of different exercises conducted in that regard and huge sums of monies deployed thereto.

According to NATCOMS, NCC cannot unilaterally impose and or exert any fine on MTN without securing a conviction of the latter before a competent court of jurisdiction, hence NCC cannot be a Judge in its own case for the establishment, maintenance and conducting updates on Central Database as relating to registration of telephone subscribers.

They also want the court to declare that NCC acted ultra vires to the provisions of the registration of telephone subscribers regulations, 2011 by failing to establish, maintain and conduct updates on same, yet imposing fines on MTN.

NATCOMS, therefore demand an order of perpetual injunction restraining NCC from further imposing or exerting any fine in respect of registration of telephone subscribers on MTN.

Just as they group wanted court to stop MTN from paying any fine (s) to NCC at all on the registration of telephone subscribers.

They insisted that NCC should be ordered to commission, establish and conduct monthly updates on the Central database; stressing that by mandating NCC to conduct rigorous campaign for applicants and other telephone subscribers to update their particulars with the respondents;

Further, NATCOMS said NCC be mandated to publish newspaper apologies to the applicants and other telephone subscribers for the lack of establishment, maintenance and conducting updates on the Central Database.

In addition for NCC to give account of all the fines it had imposed on telecoms operators and pay applicants as well as other telephone subscribers as compensation.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 
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Pix: Deolu Ogunbanjo, courtesy: ChannelsTV

NITEL: NATCOM pays up $252.2m … FG approves handover

ITRealms

The Federal Government may have concluded plans to handover NITEL/MTEL facilities to NATCOM consortium having met the necessary requirements including full payment of $252.251million cost of acquisition repor, according to the deputy chairman, National Council on Privatization Technical Committee Mr.  Haruna Sambo, ITRealms reports.

Mr. Sambo disclosed this at the last meeting of his committee for this administration, saying that NCP has approved the handover following the financial bid for NITEL/MTEL by the bidder, NATCOM consortium.

‘Today, at the council meeting, the council approved the handover to NATCOM consortium, having paid the cost of acquisition. By this approval, the process has come to a closure and the council has mandated the BPE to hand over the two companies to the preferred winner after all due processes are taken care of,” he said.

As said by him, with this, the transaction has come to an end and Council therefore authorize BPE to hand over the two companies NATCOM consortium.

Also Vice President Namadi Sambo, and the permanent secretary of Ministry of Power Mr. Godknows Igali, said that government had settled about 98 per cent of ex-PHCN workers, including their pensions and gratuities directing that any other remaining cases should be referred to the BPE for settlements.

The minister of Mines and Steel Hon. Musa Sada, added that the council also discussed reforms of the National Parks as well as the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) with the aim to restructure the sector and bridge the 17 million housing deficit in the country.

AbdulKareem Mueenah/GEE

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