The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Digitteam Nigeria to ensure that due process is followed in awarding of signal distribution licence to bidders.
The union said it welcomed the decision of the NBC to advertise the broadcasting distribution licence, stating that it was a right step towards achieving a digitalisation process.
It, however, insisted that the law of the country should be observed and followed in the award of digitalisation process to preferred bidders.
A statement issued by RATTAWU’s Secretary, Henry Odugala, explained that “ while the union is not against any company bidding or being awarded the licence, we are however requesting that any company i.e. any TV signal provider that has been operating in the country illegally should not be considered (under any name or synonym) for flouting the law of the country”.
It alleged that “a company known as- GoTV or its promoter- was not licenced to operate Digital Terrestrial Television in the country and has been operating and spreading in the country”. This, the union stated, amounts to illegality which must be condemned.
“We must not lend credence to the black mail of the Zimbabwe President which portrayed Nigeria as a country where anything goes. The Minister of Information had at a time instructed that NBC should halt any operator operating DTT without licence,” the union added.
The union further frowned at the refusal of NBC to implement the agreement reached at the stakeholders meeting held last month warning that it would embark on an industrial action to compel the commission to honour agreements.
“NBC has not implemented any of the agreements reached at the last meeting with the Minister of Information, Minister of Labour, the unions and other stakeholders including BON which led to the extension of the union’s ultimatum to first week in May, 2014.
“In taking the present stance, the union believes that only the best is good enough for Nigeria and for the broadcast industry and by extension the workers that work in the industry,” the statement added.
