By …Threaten to arrest MTN, Airtel
The House of Representatives is working on a law to penalize companies that fail to meet their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations in Nigeria.
Hon. Oby Orogbu, Chairperson of the House Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, announced this during a public hearing on Tuesday. The hearing focused on a bill aimed at regulating CSR in the country.
Orogbu warned telecom companies MTN and Airtel to respond to the committee’s invitation or face a warrant of arrest. She criticized the companies, along with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for ignoring repeated summons.
“These companies make a lot of money here but refuse to respect the parliament. We will not tolerate this disrespect,” she said. Orogbu also mentioned that companies in sectors like oil and construction often violate CSR laws and need to be held accountable.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, represented by Assistant Director Wondi Ndanusa, opposed the idea of imprisoning companies for failing to meet CSR obligations. He suggested using persuasion instead and recommended placing CSR oversight under the Corporate Affairs Commission.
A representative of the Oil Producers Trade Section, Bala Wuoir, raised concerns about oil companies being overburdened. He noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) already requires them to contribute 3% of their profits to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and urged that they be exempt from additional CSR demands.
Speaking on behalf of the Speaker of the House, House Leader Hon. Julius Ihonvbere explained that the bill seeks to provide clear legal guidelines for CSR. He said, “Corporate Social Responsibility is an important obligation, but it is often uncoordinated and undocumented. This bill aims to fix that.”
The House emphasized that companies must be responsible and accountable to the communities they operate in, promising stricter enforcement of CSR laws.
