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FG Rejects Govt Media, Regulatory Bodies’ Merger
The Federal Government has rejected proposals by the Oronsaye Committee for the merger of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) as well as mergers of Federal Government (FG) owned media organizations.
The rejection was contained in the Federal Government’s White Paper on the Oronsaye Committee Report on the rationalization and restructuring of Federal Parastatals, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The Oronsaye Committee was created to advice on the restructuring and rationalization of the FG’s public institutions with overlapping functions in some cases without regard to their efficacy in the attainment of the socio-economic agenda of the Federal Government leading to escalation in cost of governance.
The White Paper from the Federal Government accepted, rejected and noted some of the recommendations of the committee’s report.
The Federal Government rejected all recommendations made for the NCC, including that the NCC, NBC and the regulatory functions of NIPOST be brought together under a unified management structure to be known as the Communications Regulatory Authority of Nigerian (CRAN); and that, at least, three directorates be created under the proposed CRAN to perform the functions of broadcast, telecommunications and regulatory functions of postal services.
Other recommendations include that the enabling laws of NCC and NBC be repealed and another enacted for the proposed Communications Regulatory Authority of Nigeria (CRAN); and that the enabling law of NIPOST be amended to reflect, among others, the transfer of its regulatory functions to the proposed CRAN.
The Federal Government also rejected most of the recommendations made by the committee for the restructuring of the Federal Ministry of Information.
The committee proposed that the Federal Radio Corporation Nigeria (FRCN) and Voice of Nigeria (VON) be merged; the enabling law of the FRCN be amended to accommodate the merger with VON; and the enabling law of VON be repealed.
It also proposed that the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), FRCN/VON be merged into one body to be known as the Federal Broadcasting Corporation of Nigeria (FBCN); a single governing board be established for the merged FRCN/VON and NTA; and the new entity have, among others, two departments, one each for Radio and Television, each to be headed by an executive director one of whom should be appointed chief executive of the proposed FBCN.
The proposed FBCN should have a managing director and executive directors for each of the broadcasting departments; the selection process for the positions of the managing director and executive directors be transparent and competitive; and the enabling laws of the NTA and FRCN/VON be repealed and a new one enacted to accommodate the proposed consolidation of the agencies.
It also suggested that the proposed FBCN be partially commercialized which was rejected by the Federal Government though it directed that NTA be fully commercialized by 2013.
The Federal Government also rejected the recommendations made on National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The committee recommended the functions of NITDA be transferred to the Ministry of Technology as a Department and the enabling law of NITDA be amended.
The Federal Government rejected the recommendation to amend the NITDA Act and directs that NITDA continues to remain as an Agency under the Ministry of Communication Technology.
Under the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) the Federal Government accepted the committee recommendation that the commission should serve as the repository of all biometric data capture for the management of identity in the country for proper coordination and harmonization: and that all relevant agencies that perform biometric data capture mandatorily interface with NIMC for the purpose of identity management and administration.
The Federal Government rejected the recommendation that the NIMC be appropriately located in the Ministry of Interior with a view to preserving institutional legacy and ensuring effective synergy among all the data collecting and collation agencies or alternatively, in the proposed Ministry of Special Duties.
The committee recommended that the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) continues to be funded by the government to enable it carry out its assigned functions of developing, administering and enforcing transparency and accountability in the extractive industry in Nigeria, under the supervision of the Ministry of Special Duties. This recommendation was accepted by the Federal Government.
The committee also recommended changes for Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBL).
The committee further recommended that NITEL be liquidated without further delay which was agreed by the Federal Government, stating that the liquidation process was ongoing.
It was recommended for GDL to be appropriately restructured to meet its set objectives and the Federal Government should issue a directive that all MDAs consult with GBL on all ICT related issues.
The Federal Government noted this restructuring recommendation and further directed that the supervisory ministry should clearly define and delineate the status and functions of GBL.
The committee recommended and the FG accepted that it should sell off its shares in Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Limited and the functions of NigComSat that relate to space development be reverted to the National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA).
It was also suggested that the budgetary allocations to the NigComSat cease from the 2013 Fiscal Year.
It was recommended that the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) be commercialized with effect from the 2013 Fiscal Year, but with Government seed funding; and the Corporation should continue to be domiciled, in the Federal Ministry of Information.
The Federal Government accepted this recommendation but directed the Minister of Information to reorganize the NFC for full commercialization by 2016.
The Federal Government accepted that the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board be transferred to a department in the Federal Ministry of Information but rejected that that the enabling law of the National Film and Video Censors Board be amended to reflect the new status.
The Federal Government agreed that it will not continue to fund professional associations such as Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Nigeria Press Council. It said they are all professional associations and are encouraged to register with the CAC.
However, government said it will continue to support regulatory bodies.
The report also suggested that the Nigeria Copyright Commission and the Commercial Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment be brought together as an agency and their mandate streamlined to ensure greater efficiency.
The committee proposed that the enabling laws of the Nigeria Copyright Commission and the Commercial Law Department be repealed and a new law enacted to reflect the proposed merger of the two bodies.
This recommendation was noted and accepted by the government. Government also accepted the recommendation that the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) continues to be funded by the Government and remains in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
It recommended that the functions of National Orientation Agency (NOA) be transferred to the Department of Public Communications in the Federal Ministry of Information and its 774 offices be closed and its staff redeployed within the Federal Civil Service after a staff audit and assessment has been carried out.
The committee proposed that budgetary allocations to NOA ceases with effect from the 2013 Fiscal Year and the enabling law of the NOA be amended. The report also proposed similar recommendations for the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) on its budgetary allocations which it said should stop with effect from the 2013 Fiscal Year.
It added that the Act establishing NICO be repealed and the institute abolished but the Federal Government rejected the recommendation.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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