Critical stakeholders in the Nigerian Broadcast Industry have vehemently kicked against the provision of the NBC Act 2004 which grants the Minister of Information and the President powers to give final approval for the Radio and Television licenses in the country.
They want both the Minister and the President to be stripped of this power with the relevant Section 2(1) of the NBC Act expunged from the Constitution.
The stakeholders argued that such powers granted the Minister and the President could give room to the politicisation of the issuance of the licenses in the country.
They stated their position as the House of Representatives Committee on Information, opened a 2-day public hearing on the need to amend the NBC Act to strengthen the commission, as well as review other existing industry-related Acts.
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This position pitched the stakeholders sharply against the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed who called for more powers for NBC and his office, to effectively control and regulate the industry.
The stakeholders kicked against Section 9 of the bill which granted powers to NBC to issue TV/radio, mobile distribution licenses, as well as online platforms and indeed “any other licenses); arguing that it was capable of shrinking the civic space.
Against the strong position canvassed by the Minister, the stakeholders picked similar holes in the provision of Section 23, which grants the Minister powers to participate in setting the Codes for the regulation of the sector.
While the Minister supported the idea of granting financial autonomy to NBC, he sought more powers to effectively oversee the operations of the commission, even as stakeholders kicked strongly against any arrangement that will continue to leave the regulatory agency under the control of the Minister and the President.
To free the NBC from the political interference; stakeholders advocated a 5 year tenure of two terms maximum for the Director-General of NBC.
Speaking on spectrum allocation, Lai Mohammed, said the facility belongs to the government.
He said those who are currently enjoying it, are holding the spectrum in trust for government; adding that the spectrum can be stripped of them at any time; even without violating the laws.
Declaring the public hearing opened, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by the Deputy Leader, Peter Akpatason, assured that the alterations from the amendments will promote free speech and will not infringe on the rights of the Nigerian people.
Edited by Tunde Orebiyi
