Groups Hail Buhari For Suspending NBC DG, Kawu

Two groups,  the Corruption Watchdogs and Set Top Box Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (STBMAN) have hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for suspending the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Modibbo Kawu over alleged corruption and stalling the digitisation switch.

Kawu and 32 other public officers/civil servants who has been under investigation for several months now by the anti-graft agency, ICPC over alleged corruption, was recently suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Reacting to the above, the groups alleged that the monies meant to finance Digita. Switch Over (DSO) were not used for the purpose it was meant, adding that otherwise, the the DSO launch project that took place at Jos, Plateau State in April, 2015 would have been a success story by now.

Instead, they added, the project had been bogged down by series of technical issues.

In a petition signed by Nari Rikoto, Corruption Watchdogs noted  that in all the places the launch took place, “we can categorically say none was successfully executed. It is either half done or haphazardly done. It appears it is a failure. Ten (N10 billion) Naira released to the Commission in 2015 is already spent within space of one and a half years and was an outright failure. This has made many stakeholders to lose faith in the project”it said adding that off recent, Broadcast Organization of Nigeria (BON) had cause to call a press conference requesting the Commission to make a statement on the project.

Even the federal government seems to have lost confidence in the DG spear-heading the project, the financial assistance it ought to have released for the continuation of the project is no longer attainable due to mistrust the government has on him,” Corruptions Watchdogs said in a statement.

The Concerned Staff of the National Broadcasting Commission in a recent protest collectively drew the attention of the government to the ugly development in the commission, calling for the prompt prosecution of Kawu.

They also asked President Buhari to redeem the commission from further embarrassment and ridicule.

The staff said it is on record today that the administration of the commission has been turned to a one-man affair adding that management no longer seats to take decisions on matters of the Commission.

They alleged further that Kawu had the penchant attidute of taking key decisions without consulting the board, adding:

“President Buhari May have taken the bold step to forestall the settlement of several cases and threats that would have brought shame and ridicule to the country when viewed against the background of the fact that SES, a major world player in the broadcast industry is threatening to cut off its services if it is not paid urgently. The company after several pleas has vowed to block and withdraw its services which will be an ill wind that would destroy the entire process.

“The UK based for company that provides the backbone of the process is being owed several hundred millions of pounds for services so far carried out for Nigeria”..

On the urgent need to ensure that the DSO is back, Corruption Watchdog and NBC staff further said that the Group Managing Director of Gospell Digital Technology Limited, and Chairman, Set Top Box Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (STBMAN) and Chairman of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, at every available opportunity informed the federal government the necessity of  fast-tracking the digitisation process, to boost the economy and create.

“The Federal Government through the NBC should as a matter of national concern set up a timetable for the roll out in other areas outside the already six states. The Acting DG with his staff has the manpower to effectively move the process forward and bring about the economic benefits of digitisation

It is also worthy to note that since the last launching in Enugu nothing significant has been done on DSO. The former DG could not be said to be unaware that Set Top Box manufacturers are being owed billions of naira and have the capacity to do more but yet went ahead to organise a bid for box manufacturers.  Funny enough none of the companies could meet the requirement for the manufacturing of the STBs.

“There is an urgent need for a well-planned schedule and time table of the digitisation process. The federal government has done well by asking Kawu to step aside; however, there is a need for the federal government to push the digitisation process with a strong political will,” the NBC staff said.