The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on Monday
announced that it had commenced the installation of facilities for Digital
Switch-Over (DSO) in Kaduna State.
The Director-General of
the Commission, Malam Is’haq Modibbo-kawu, made the disclosure while briefing
newsmen at the National Headquarters of the commission in Abuja.
The News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) reports that Pinnacle Communications ltd., the major signal
distributor for the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) in the country, is undertaking
the installation at the instance of the NBC
Modibbo-kawu said that
the commission was working assiduously to roll out Digital Switch-Over in each
state across the six geo-political zones simultaneously.
He expressed optimism
that with a high level of political support from the Government and the
commitment of the commission, Nigeria would meet the June 2017 switch-over
dateline.
“ As I address you
today, Pinnacle Communications Ltd. has commenced the installation of the
facilities for Kaduna.
“I was there to inspect
the work being done at the weekend. Our colleagues can go to the site on Rabah
Road, Kaduna, to verify that work is advancing very rapidly there.
“ They have also
concluded plans for Delta and Gombe states, while the second signal
distributor, Integrated Television Service (ITS), will similarly mobilise into
Kwara, Enugu and Osun states,’’he said.
The DG said that NBC
had commenced the settlement of all debts arising from the contracts awarded in
respect of the DSO.
Modibbo-kawu added that
the commission had also effected payments to the Set Top Boxes manufacturers, and
that the settlement was around N5 billion.
“ The next phase of
payment we are processing is what is due to the DSO backbone group, our Signal
Distributors, ITS and Pinnacle Communications Ltd.
“ These payments would
help our various stakeholder groups to meet their obligations as well as deepen
commitment to the entire effort to achieve a nation-wide DSO, “he said.
The director-general
said that the NBC was committed to the highest standards of broadcasting
regulation, assuring that it would do everything to assist the growth of the
broadcast industry.
He said that the
commission would continue to provide the “ambience for the flowering of
broadcasting in the country and would never tolerate a regime of impunity”.
He urged broadcast
stations to obey the law , especially on prompt payment of license fees.
0 comments:
Post a Comment