2023: You must not allow repeat of 2019 – Lai Mohammed warns new NBC board

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, must step up its regulatory role ahead of the 2023 general elections.

 

Lai Mohammed spoke at the inauguration of the governing board of the National Broadcasting Commission in Abuja on Thursday.

 

He congratulatied members of the board for their appointment and reminded them that it was a call to service and added that he was rest assured they will all live up to expectations.

 

He reminded them of their roles which include, among other things, to formulate policies, and not to engage in the day-to-day running of the organization.

 

According to Mohammed, the most important task facing the NBC today is to successfully transition the broadcast industry from analogue to digital broadcasting, through the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project

 

“We have an ambitious plan to fast-track the DSO this year by launching it in at least two states every month. Unfortunately, we have not been able to meet this target.

 

“But we are working hard to resume the DSO launch as soon as possible. I urge you all to buy into this project to ensure that NBC is able to deliver on what we perceive as a legacy project – because it will change the face of broadcasting in Nigeria,” he said.

 

The Minister added, “Note that as we move closer to the 2023 general elections, the NBC will come under increasing pressure to step up its regulatory role to prevent a repeat of what transpired before, during and after the 2019 general elections, when some broadcast stations threw caution to the wind and engaged in inciting, incendiary and unprofessional broadcasts.

 

“It is important for the Commission to ensure that its licensees adhere strictly to the tenets of the Broadcasting Code.”