Stakeholders Want Govt Action on Flawed Areas of Digital Switch Over Report

Following the adoption of the 17 recommendations of the House of Representatives committee on digital switch over, stakeholders from analogue broadcast in Nigeria have called for a thorough review of the process to ensure proper switch off.

This is coming after a Committee report was adopted on the floor of the house after 10 months of touring the sites and public hearing.

The report also requested that the White Paper that midwifed the entire process should be dusted to allow for a more transparent process.

The House committee report also stated that the quality of delivery and service being offered by the stakeholders should not be below par”

The report also said another company, Inview Technology should be further investigated on alleged public procurement infractions observed during the investigation as well as status of funds generated and utilised adding that “all parties that were not contemplated by the White Paper but were somewhat brought in albeit inadvertently by the regulator in furtherance of this process should be excised in the spirit of equity and integrity of the process as well as the country in general”.

It ordered that analogue broadcasting should not be switched off until 95% DSO coverage is achieved in the country while the Information Ministry and NBC should ensure regional collaboration on DSO timelines/ final switch off date.

The Report said there should be an enactment of a new broadcasting law to encompass elements of digitisation, define roles and responsibilities of the Federal/ State/Local Governments and the Private Sector.