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Nigeria Move forward on Digital Broadcasting

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday deliberated on the white paper of the cabinet committee report on the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in Nigeria, recommending the licensing of both public and private broadcasting signal distributors to enable Nigeria join the rest of the world in digital broadcasting. The Council also directed the Ministries of Information, Communications Technology and Trade and Investments to work out the enabling environment for the manufacturer of the broadcasting signal distribution boxes locally. Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed journalists along with the Ministers of Communication and Technology (Mrs. Omobola Johnson) and Environment (Hajia Hadiza Mailafia) said that already, the Council has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission to come up with guidelines that will be used to register the prospective signal distributors. According to Maku, “following the recommendations of the committee and acceptance by government,” government shall licence a minimum of two and maximum of three broadcasting signal distributors at the commencement of the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial in the country. The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has been recommended as the Public Broadcasting signal distributor in view of its 157 network transmission sites spread across the country. “Provisional licences will be granted to two other carriers to represent the private broadcasters who could muster funds and other logistics. Yes, the NTA will be licensed as a signal distributor, but to ensure competition and value for money, government will also register additional distributors to have a private sector distribution that will open up the sector to efficiency. The committee agreed to benchmark the phase by phase transition from analogue to digital and this will provide employment opportunity for the Nigerian youths.” The government agreed with the committee to set up multiple broadcasting signal distributors for the transitional period of three years which took effect from January 1, 2012 to January 1, 2015. Maku also announced the Council’s approval of contract for the channellisation of the Asa river and its tributaries in Ilorin, Kwara State at a total cost of N1,233,761,817.20 (N1.23 billion). It has a completion period of 12 months. He noted that the contract became necessary as “the perennial problem of flooding in Ilorin caused by Asa river and its tributaries and the attendant destruction of lives and properties has been a major concern to the Kwara and Federal governments. The menace of the flood in 2007 and 2008 were particularly so severe that government had to establish shelters for the displaced people in schools, mosques and churches within the town. As a result, officials of the Department of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zones Management (EFCMZ) of the Ministry of Environment recommended the dredging of the river.” The Council also called for the reports on the maintenance of the Ibadan Ogunpa channellisation flood control project to ensure that it is on course. The Council was also briefed on the policy recommendations from the 17th Nigerian Economic Summit which was jointly organised by the Nigerian Economic Society Group and the National Planning Commission. The Council, after deliberations, approved the recommendations of the summit. Author of this article: From Madu Onuorah, Abuja