Connect with us

Business

Ex-DG Mba allegedly frustrating NBC switchover to digital broadcast

Published

on

Revealed! Ex-DG Mba allegedly frustrating NBC switchover to digital broadcast

There are allegations emanating from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), that a former director-general of the commission, Emeka Mba and his sympathisers still within, may be frustrating moves of the NBC for a smooth transition from analogue to digital broadcast.

Moles allegedly planted by the former DG are said to be bent in ensuring that the current DG, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, does not alter the former status quo within the commission that favors the personal gain of a few individuals, against the national interest.

Reliable sources at NBC squealed that Kawu who is leading the transition from analogue to digital broadcast in the country has had to contend with forces within the agency to achieve the conversion dreams.

For instance, the moles, said to have been tainted by ethnic sentiments had worked against all plans conceived within the agency to ensure a smooth Digital Switch Over (DSO).

‘’Yes I can tell you that Modibbo is not given to ethnic jingoism and that is why he’s been able to work with different people irrespective of tribe and background but some of these people are taking this for granted…these moles have continuously frustrated his efforts. I think the right thing to do is for him to flush out these moles and this requires the support of the federal government,” an insider who craved anonymity informed.

“He thought he could work with the team he met on ground. But now, they have shown to be vigorously working against the interest of the country. I hope the wool over his eyes have been removed and he will now make some changes to the Mba team that continues daily to work at cross purposes with him,” our source added.

The source further alleged, that “The former DG jettisoned the clear and unambiguous policy of the Federal Government contained in the White Paper for the digital transition, introduced alien licenses and entities into the DSO chain with a view to creaming revenue into private pockets and deny the logical and legal licensees of rights and benefits all in an effort to scuttle the entire process and give advantage to illegal entities and one or two set top box manufacturers who continue to ferry the boxes without any form of accountability despite collecting amounts in excess of N13Billion from NBC.”

Mba is alleged to have backdated the license issued to GoTV for personal gain. There are also claims that he collected N2Billion for a license worth N10Billion.

Allegations are also rife that ITS may be converting digital exciters from old and obsolete equipment for use in the signal carriage process, a situation that may shortchange unsuspecting Nigerians and which the NBC must checkmate, if found to be true. Durability and reliability of equipment deployed remains critical to consumer confidence.

On the recent hearing by the House of Representatives sub-committee on the DSO our source said, “the very revealing public hearing by the sub-committee in House of Reps showed that the switch over will continue to be a mirage unless and until things are righted and certain stakeholders kicked out of the DSO process.”

However a quick conclusion and submission of the sub committee’s report will help sanitize the DSO process, it was learnt.

Read also: Banks plan to drag Etisalat before EFCC over $1.2b failed loan

Feelers from the commission show that Malam Kawu has been very circumspect in his decision making but also appears to be too slow, given that he has already been in the office for a period of over one year with very little progress in turning things around for the DSO and the good of teeming Nigerians.

They say he needs to now take the bull by the horns as time is not on his side, and that this is the only way the DSO process can be achieved in the shortest possible timeline.

It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, earlier in the year, arraigned Mba, the former NBC DG alongside three others before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 15-count charge of money laundering and procurement fraud to the tune of N2.8billion.

Those arraigned with him were a former director of finance, NBC, Patrick Areh, Basil Udotai and Babatunji Amure.

They were alleged to have at various times connived and transferred a sum of N2,899,723,500 from the account of NBC through various proxies for their personal gains.

Mba was also alleged to have used his office as NBC DG to award contracts without following due procurement process.

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now