Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has tasked telecom companies to refocus on developmental cooperation with subnational governments in terms of tax payments and corporate social responsibility.
Addressing a delegation of the Globacom telecommunication company in his office, Governor Adeleke who endorsed the proposed partnership with the Globacom firm declared: “I am a stakeholder in the Glo family. Your Chairman and founder recently hosted me in Lagos. Chief Mike Adenuga is a great Nigerian whose impact on the Nigerian and the African economy cannot be quantified.
“Your Chairman is equally a family friend of the Adeleke family of which I am the President. I had earlier set up a committee to fast track the realization of this relationship. The House Speaker , Right Honourable, Adewale Egbedun is the Chairman of the Committee. I therefore give the Committee two weeks to work with the Glo team and bring a partnership proposal for me to approve.
“Be rest assured that this partnership is already a reality. We just need to work out the details”, the Governor noted
He however appeal to the national telecom community to strengthen ties with state government, adding that “the subnational entities are where your market is.
“As much as the regulatory body is national, your market base remains the state’s and the local governments. You must deliberately prioritize partnership with the state government.
“The telecom community must understand that giving full support to the States in terms of payment of right taxes and corporate social responsibility is an investment in your market. The more robust the state governments are, the more buoyant your market will be.
“We urge the telecom community not to.wait for the state government to pursue and pressure you before fulfilling your tax and other responsibilities. It makes business sense for your market to be buoyant and prosperous. This is an appeal I am making on behalf of my colleagues Governors”, the Governor noted.
The Head of the delegation, Niyi Odejobi conveyed the.best wishes of the Globacom Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga to the Governor, government and the people of Osun state, affirming the readiness of the telecom giant to support Osun growth and development.
According to Odejobi of Glo Public Sector, the firm is ready for deployment of various internet and telecom infrastructure, assuring that the planned partnership will be a game changer for Osun state.