News
Security Concerns Stall Community Radio Project
The delay by the Federal Government to give approval to the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to grant operational licences to applicants to own community radios has been attributed to security concerns over the vulnerability of such sensitive communication infrastructure to national stability and development.
Speaking during the official launch of GOtv services, with a unique pay television infrastructure in Port Harcourt, last Saturday, Director-General, NBC, Engineer Yomi Bolarinwa, explained that the government was favourably disposed toward granting licences to as many community radio stations as possible, but was delaying the process because it needed more time to ensure that the security implications of leaving a sensitive medium of mass communication and social mobilization as radio to rural community folks were properly understood.
While foreclosing the possibility that individuals may acquire the licences to further their selfish desires, Bolarinwa stressed that when NBC gets Federal Government’s go-ahead, communities that have shown commitment to own, fund and manage the stations would be encouraged to do so as a veritable means of strengthening and fast tracking the conversation and enhancing development at the grassroots.
Represented by Director, Broadcast Policy and Research, Tom Aliu Chatta, the director-general said NBC would support government’s effort to encourage broader platform for winning the souls and minds of the hard-to-reach deprived population through community radios, and commended management of GOtv for broadening the horizon in digital television transmission.
He expressed excitement at fact that GOtv would help bridge the yawning gap between the rich and the poor segments of society by availing affordable, accessible and cheap digital terrestrial television programming in Rivers State.
In his speech, General Manager, GOtv, Mayo Okunola, noted that the launch represents one of the most advanced digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcast system and infrastructure established in Africa and the rest of the world to date, and leapfrogs the digital migration from the outdated T1 systems which were utilized by earlier movers in the industry, adding that this step puts Nigeria at the forefront of cutting-edge technology in the digital migration process.
He said GOtv was the only pay television service provider in the country that uses the DVB T2 technology which is the most advanced technology standard available in the market worldwide, stressing that subscribers will save themselves the time and expense of migrating twice once some of the older T1 technology decoders in the market are eventually phased out.
According to Okunola, “the GOtv brand is specially created to make available an affordable digital television product for all, offering great family entertainment at flexible and affordable prices. Nigerians are now set to benefit from easy access to an increased number of channels with enhanced picture and sound quality synonymous with digital television.”
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
Delegations from the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are expected to meet, today, in a bid to avert a fresh strike.
The chairmen of ASUU branches had expressed readiness to commence a fresh strike over the non-implementation of their agreement with FG on IPPIS.
One of them, Chairman, ASUU, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Dr Ibrahim Inuwa, said the protracted strike, which was to press home the union members’ demands for the continued survival of the public university system in Nigeria, was suspended in December after the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the various issues and providing timelines for the implementation of each of the eight items in the agreement.
Inuwa said over seven months after the MoU was signed only two out of the eight issues had been addressed.
He listed some of the outstanding issues to include payment of the earned academic allowance, funding for revitalisation of public universities, salary shortfall, proliferation of state universities and setting up of visitation panels.
Others are renegotiation, replacement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) and withheld salaries and non-remittance of check-off dues.
A statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Charles Akpan, said the Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige, will be hosting the leadership of the ASUU to a meeting at the ministry’s Conference Room, Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
“The Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, will be hosting a meeting with ASUU. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 2, 2021 at Minister’s Conference Room,” the letter read.
The National President, ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, had said that the union was invited by the Ministry of Labour to discuss issues surrounding the Memorandum of Action, which was signed with the Federal Government in December, 2020.
However, Osodeke, explained the last time the union met with the government was around March/April.
He said, “The Ministry of Education, which is our ministry, has not called us to any meeting since we signed the Memorandum of Action. But the Ministry of Labour, which is just an intervention ministry, around March/April called us to a meeting in which we discussed and they promised to implement all those things.”
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says 30 out of 65 private airplanes verified owe duties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, made the disclosure to newsmen, yesterday.
He said some of the airplanes came into the country by Temporary Importation Agreement which allows them in without payment because it was secured by bond.
The spokesman noted that many later fail to turn up to pay on the expiration of the agreement.
The customs explained that the verification was not meant to embarrass anyone but to collect payments due to the government.
The service has given another two-week extension which commenced from Monday, July 26, to Friday, August 6.
Attah said with the increasing economic challenge, every revenue is important.
“With this, you can now tie proper ownership to every aircraft or private jet that flies in and out of the country.
“The owners of private jets are highly placed Nigerians who should be respected and approached in a manner that provides convenience. That is what these extensions stand for,” he added.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has suspended embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari, from the exercise of the powers and functions of his office.
Kyari’s suspension was contained in a press statement by the commission’s Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, made available to newsmen, yesterday.
The commission said Abba Kyari’s suspension took effect from Saturday, July 31, 2021, and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.
The commission has also directed the Inspector General of Police to furnish it with information on further development on the matter for necessary further action.
The commission’s decision which was conveyed in a letter with reference, PSC/POL/D/153/vol/V/138 to the Inspector General of Police today, Sunday, August 1st, 2021, was signed by Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Honourable Commissioner 1 in the commission for the commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police who is currently on leave.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had recommended the immediate suspension of DCP Abba Kyari from the service of the Nigeria Police Force, pending the report of the four-man investigative panel constituted to probe him.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Force, CP Frank MBA, last Saturday, the IGP, in his letter to the Police Service Commission (PSC), dated July 31, 2021, noted that the recommendation is in line with the internal disciplinary processes of the force.
According to the IGP, the suspension would also create an enabling environment for the NPF Special Investigation Panel, to carry out its investigations into the allegations against Kyari without interference.
He explained that the suspension is without prejudice to the constitutional presumption of innocence in favour of the officer, the statement said.
The four-man Special Investigation Panel (SIP), is headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), DIG Joseph Egbunike.
“The SIP is to undertake a detailed review of all the allegations against DCP Abba Kyari by the US Government as contained in relevant documents that have been availed the NPF by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“The SIP is also to obtain detailed representation of DCP Abba Kyari to all the allegations levelled against him, conduct further investigations as it deems fit, and submit recommendations to guide further actions by the Force leadership on the matter,” Mba said.
Meanwhile, the IGP has reaffirmed the commitment of the force to the rule of law, and assured the public of the sanctity of the probe as well as the absolute respect for the rights and privileges of the officer throughout the period of the investigations.
Sports4 days agoAmuneke To Train Coaches In Three Nigerian Cities
Sports4 days agoWAFU B Qualifier: Angels Thrash AS Police 5-0, Book Semi’s Ticket
Editorial4 days agoFix Eleme–Onne Road, Now
Business4 days agoAKK Project Will Enhance Gas Utilisation For Industrialisation – Buhari
Business4 days agoCBN Releases N756bn To Over 3m Farmers To Boost Food Security
Sports4 days agoNPFL/Aiteo Cups: Our Focus Is On Both Competitions- Eguma
Business4 days agoNESG Unveils 27th Economic Summit Theme …Calls For Urgent Measures On Nigeria’s Future
Sports4 days agoNFF Blames Covid-19 For Salary Delay