TURNED TO SLAVES IN THEIR OWN LAND; THE MTN STORY

Eneh John 

Over ten years ago, when Mobile Telecommunication Network(MTN), stepped their foot into the world’s most populous black Nation, Nigerians had rejoiced at their coming, during the Obasanjo era,irrespective of the price they paid to get the services of this network provider. 

All we wanted was to be able to communicate with friends and love ones conveniently without having to go and take turns in the defunct NITEL offices.

We recollect how the monopolistic nature of MTN gave birth to the approval of licenses to the then (Vmobile),(celtel),(Zain),now Airtel.

License was also issued to Glo and a host of others that sprung up then, thereby reducing the overbearing influence MTN had in the Nigerian market.

We recollect how MTN sapped Nigerians with high sim prices, expiration of airtime which in some cases took just 3days for your airtime to expire.

 When we felt the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) had risen to defend Nigerians, when it abolished so many policies that were introduced to the Nigerian communication market, it went back to sleep, allowing not just MTN,but other networks to have a field day in extorting Nigerians.

The fraud that goes on in MTN from an inside source, reveals that since NCC is not active, or in a near dormancy status,they deduct money at will, whether you request for the service or not.

That is why they send unsolicited messages to Nigerians, so that the moment you respond, they take out your money.

What keeps the company growing is the non-remitant deductions made from Nigerians.

The source also stated that, since Nigerians became smarter in not subscribing to caller tunes anymore, which hitherto also generated fund to MTN, they had to force the caller tunes on Nigerians irrespective of the fact that, you subscribed to it or not. 

What the network does, is just to promise you a refund of your money, which will never be done because, you will hardly access them, even if your to go to their outlets, you will still be referred to their Abuja or Lagos offices for the issues to be rectified.

It is time for the Nigerian Communications Commission to stepped in and do thorough investigations on this network provider and others.

MTN provides telecommunication services in South Africa,but all of these things cannot be experienced there due to the active involvement of the communication Regulatory Agency in that country.

It is sad that Nigeria, which is the largest market for MTN, has continued to be taken for granted.

Nigerians will continue to be enslaved by the evil deeds of this company, unless we arise to put an end to it.

A REPUTATION FOUNDED ON INTEGRITY MUST BE NURTURED BY TRUTH.

Eneh John is a Journalist and Secretary,Coalition of Human Rights Defenders(COHRD). E-mail: enehjohn49@yahoo.com