FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Edo State government said the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, did not withdraw the license of the State’s Broadcasting Television, EBS TV.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie urged the public to disregard the false claims, describing it as the handiwork of mischief-makers
Osagie denied claims that EBS license has been withdrawn over statutory failure, explaining that Channel 55 which the station operates on falls within the 700MHz band that is being repurposed by the federal government, following an international treaty established by the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, in 2015, of which Nigeria is a signatory.
He disclosed that NBC has, however, reassigned a new Channel 45 to Edo Broadcasting Service.
According to him, “the commission did not withdraw the licence for EBS TV over statutory failures.
“EBS TV, Channel 55 happens to be on the 700MHz band, which according to the NBC is being repurposed following an international treaty of the International Telecommunications Union, in 2015, of which Nigeria is a signatory.
“The directives for the implementation of the resolutions were specific and time-bound. The National Frequency Management Council had set up a committee of the relevant regulatory bodies to ensure a smooth and effective repurposing of 700MHz band.
“Letters were written to all affected broadcasting stations within the band to inform them of the development, notify them of new channels to relocate to, and provide their compensation needs for payment.
“Affected broadcasting stations were negotiated with beginning from around 2020 and 2021.
“Meanwhile, NBC has reassigned a new Channel 45 to Edo Broadcasting Service TV, while plans are in progress for its compensation by NBC.”
On the issue of licence fee, Osagie said the station was heavily indebted for over a decade, before Governor Godwin Obaseki came into office, adding that in June 2022, the governor approved and began to clear EBS indebtedness to regulatory authorities.
