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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) decision to revoke the licenses of 52 broadcast stations in the country, describing the action as untimely and with grave consequences.
RATTAWU warned that shutting down the stations as the nation prepares for general elections by 2023 implies limiting the possibility of voter education and other electioneering activities which portends great danger and disservice to the country.
The union in a statement issued by its General Secretary, Akpausoh Akpausoh, at the weekend, further noted that the broadcast media is crucial to keep the public informed especially at this moment when Nigeria is ravaged by insecurity.
It cautioned that shutting down media stations will cause many people to lose their jobs, pushing more people into the already bloated unemployed market and its attendant consequences.
RATTAWU urged NBC to arrange a stakeholders meeting where the issues will be discussed and addressed.
“Information is the oxygen of democracy. This truism has stood the test of time and in all climes. Therefore, Nigeria cannot be an exception. It is on the basis of the above that the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) has no other option but to caution the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) that while the commission has the unreserved constitutional right to revoke the licenses of Radio and Television stations that have not done the needful; however, the prevailing climate makes such an action untimely and with grave consequences,” the statement read.
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“This is because most of these stations are yet to recover from the covid-19 shock. It would be recalled that during the lock-down, these stations did brave services of sustaining broadcasting. RATTAWU also made a case that the broadcast stations be given special covid-19 palliative, considering the laudable role they played.
“Just after the upliftment of covid-19 lock-down, the Nigerian state got stuck in the unexplained muddy waters of hike in the prices of Diesel, which most stations rely on to run their programmes in the near absence of power supply from the Power Holding Companies. This is an issue that is, at best, embarrassing to the Nation,” the statement read in part.
The union bemoaned that the broadcast environment is not healthy and friendly, insisting that decisions that affect the broadcast environment be taken with sapiential guidance and consideration.
“The action of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is unilateral. It is not a product of stakeholders of the broadcast industry. Therefore, it stands to be half clever. This is because of the following reasons: first, and as stated by the NBC’s Press Release, lack of payment of license fees can never be tantamount to a threat to national security. Rather, the content of the broadcast stations is what will constitute a threat to national security.
“Secondly, the Nigerian state is preparing for general elections by 2023. Therefore, revoking the licenses of 52 stations and directing their total shutdown implies limiting the possibility of voter education and other electioneering activities. This portends great danger and disservice to the nation.
“Third, the ravaging insecurity of lives and properties required that the Nigerian state should make the free flow of information as much as possible. This will help the citizens to give a report to the authorities and the authorities in return will tell the citizens what needs to be done. But when broadcast stations are shut down, the possibility of this will be slim; which will not be good for the nation.
“Fourth, as a Trade Union Movement, RATTAWU is worried at the multiplier effect that the action of NBC will have on workers. Already, the economic reality of the nation is not healthy. Please note that shutting down media stations invariably leads to disengagement of workers which is another influx into the unemployed market and its attendant consequences. Therefore, any government organisation that means well to citizens will not do anything that will compound the situation.
“It is on the strength of the foregoing that RATTAWU, while urging the debted stations to do the needful, also condemns the action of NBC, describing it as untimely and uncircumspect. RATTAWU, therefore, calls on NBC to convoke a stakeholders meeting where the issues will be discussed,” the statement read.
