Reps move to sanction defaulting companies on corporate social responsibility

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has threatened to sanction companies that fail to comply with CSR regulations. At a public hearing on a bill to regulate CSR in Nigeria, the committee gave MTN and Airtel a final warning to appear before it or face arrest warrants.
This is also as the committee gave MTN,Airtel last warning to honour it’s invitation or face the warrant of arrest by the Committee.
The Chairman of the Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, Hon Oby Orogbu, stated these during a public hearing on “A bill to regulate corporate social Responsibility in Nigeria and for other related matters” held in Abuja.
According to Orogbu, some companies operating in the country have over time violated the law, hence the need for punishment to be melted at them.
He further frowned at NAtional Communications Commission NCC ,MTN and Airtel insisting that they have several times ignored the invitation of the Committee hence the need for the Committee to involve its powers by issuing warrant of arrest.
“Section 89, 8 of the Constitution mandates individual companies as invited to make themselves available to parliament but they break the law and I want to tell you Sir , MTN Airtel they take so much from our nation and they feel too big to appear before the parliament we will not tolerate that.
“I want you as a regulatory body to organize those telecommunication companies were they will be meeting between this parliament and the telecommunication, we gave them the powers to operate in Nigeria so to refuse to honour the invitation of the parliament is a no, no, we take exception to it . The parliament is frowning at it and this is an opportunity to say clearly .
“If MTN is here and I have taken all friendly measure to make them understand the need to appear before the parliament but they have refuse. If you feel you are responsible then you should appear before the parliament ,we want you to be responsible and accountable they operate across the country and they have disrespected the same nation by not housing our invitation.
“ We want the Committee to be socially responsible. If you are providing any social responsibility let us know what you are doing, all we want to know is what you are doing . We are not here to which hunt any company . As a public affairs representative of NCC please reach out to these telecompanies and tell them to make themselves available, if they disrespect he parliament it doesn’t indicate in anywhere that they are responsible .
“Other companies show up, give account and we even go on oversight but NCC is one company that have given us problems insisting that they are in court that is not acceptable.”