By Technology Times Staff Reporter
Lagos. November 28, 2012: The Federal Government has sacked Bashir Gwandu, the ex-Executive Commissioner (Technical Services) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over several allegations including insubordination to the current leadership of the nation’s telecoms regulatory agency.
The eventual ouster of Gwandu from NCC confirms Technology Times exclusive report of October 14, 2012, “Commissioners may drop Gwandu from Board amid NCC row” indicating that plans were then underway to sanction him over alleged misconduct.
The sack takes effect from November 9, 2012 says Secretary to the Government, Anyim Pius Anyim, who announced the removal citing gross insubordination by Gwandu to constituted authority in the telecoms regulator.
The Federal Government says the allegations raised by the ex-Commissioner were discovered to be unfounded following an investigation by the NCC Board and the Ministry of Communication Technology.
Gwandu was also accused of gross insubordination to his boss, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Eugene Juwah.
Gwandu had in an exclusive interview with Technology Times claimed credit for exposing alleged frequency racketeering that was said to have favoured Smile Communications and a sale of frequency slot belonging to the Nigeria Police to a private firm, Open Skys.
The government investigation was that there was also no basis for his allegation that NCC had recommended a waiver of frequency debt totaling over N1 billion in favour of MTS First Wireless, a company in which current EVC of NCC, Eugene Juwah, was a Director.
Juwah recently denied the all the allegations citing that they are being motivated by unnamed mischief makers while noting that he was never CEO of MTS and was not in any way personally responsible nor was NCC responsible for the waiver.
Defending himself, Juwah said that though he worked at MTS prior to his appointment as EVC of NCC, he was never an owner, CEO nor did he at any time recommend a waiver for the telecoms company under the current dispensation.
Juwah said he joined MTS as a Consultant in 2001 and was subsequently invited to become Executive Director of the company but he was at no time the CEO. By the time he was leaving MTS, a major investor, Lulu Briggs had pumped funding into the telecoms company to become virtually the sole owner of the business.
According to the EVC, the ensuing crisis over alleged frequency racketeering and MTS waiver makes it “obvious that there is a motive and agenda by some unscrupulous elements who are enemies of this administration and who are bent on stopping us from excelling.”
Gwandu recently admitted that he is the whistleblower in the alleged frequency slots sale allegations when he confirmed in the interview with Technology Times that he had intimated Vice President, Namadi Sambo, on the developments surrounding the alleged frequency sales.
Meanwhile the sacking of Gwandu, a former Executive Commissioner and one of the full-time Board members of NCC is likely to pave the way for a new lease of life in the telecoms regulatory agency.
Gwandu’s recent spat with Juwah is a reminiscent of similar incidents with his immediate past boss, Ernest Ndukwe, after making a botched bid to head NCC.
He had served as the Acting CEO of NCC from June to July 2010 before the appointment of Juwah before becoming the Executive Commissioner for Engineering and Technical Service before he was removed this month.
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Long overdue