The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has condemned the ongoing strike by the staff of national carrier Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd. (Nitel) and its mobile subsidiary, M-Tel.

ALTON is the umbrella organization for licensed operators in Nigeria. Staffers at Nitel went on strike, claiming that Transcorp, the parent corporation of Nitel and M-Tel, failed to live up to an April 1 agreement to settle, within two weeks, all arrears on back pay.

Nitel employees have closed the carrier’s facilities, including the SAT-3 satellite communications office.

Transcorp claims it has paid money.

The strike has had an effect on telecommunications service providers in Nigeria, ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo said.

He described the strike as an embarrassment to the nation and mostly Transcorp, for allowing it happen.

Adebayo pointed out that the strike has not had as big an impact as the worker protest in 2006 against Nitel's sale to Transcorp.

The 2006 industry action, he said, actually opened the eyes of service providers and forced some licensed operators to search for alternative routes for their switching points.

Adebayo said, however, that the strike has affected operators.

"The strike affected operators whose interconnect depends solely on the Nitel carrier switches in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, with attendant loss of revenue and good will," he said.

However, Adebayo added that key operators have developed alternative routes.

"Most major operators have developed alternative interconnect points to Nitel, but the case of Nitel is an embarrassment to all stakeholders and in particular to Transcorp," he said.

But Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, the president of The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), a nongovernmental consumer group, said the government should ensure that entitlements for Nitel are paid.

He pointed out that the strike affects the security of the country, as most government agencies have telephone links serviced by Nitel.

"It's sad enough because it affects the security of the nation. Government should ensure they are paid timely, at least for the sake of their families," Ogunbanjo said.