June 09, (THEWILL)- The Federal Government says the management of the microblogging tech giant, Twitter, has reached out for dialogue.
He declared that the ban had so far been very effective following reports of Twitter’s huge financial losses running into billions.
Meanwhile, no less than Oyo State’s Governor Seyi Makinde, who has refused to buy into the ban, tweeted to condemn it for stiffling enterprise as it was a channel for several business initiatives.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council.
The Information Minister maintained that Twitter had been a platform of choice for separatists to thrive and would be disallowed from operating until it was duely registered, licensed, and operated within regulations.
When the Minister was asked about the law under which Nigerians who violate the Twitter ban would be prosecuted, Lai refrained from answering and asked that the Attorney General of the Federation provide answers.
Speaking concerning the discussion at the FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, Mohammed insisted on the ban and asked politicians to rise beyond various divisions and queue behind the country’s decision to ban the microblogging site.
Minister Lai Mohammed also spoke concerning the payment of tax by tech giants in the country.
He explained that most of the OTT and social media platforms operating in Nigeria do not have offices either do they pay taxes for the billions earned.
Henceforth, the Federal government had resolved to ensure other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram were registered in the country and adverts had been published to this effect, he said.
Despite criticism by Human Rights groups, Mohammed said that Freedom of Speech had not been stifled as a result of the ban. He maintained that other social media platforms were still available for use.
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