The Media Rights Agenda, MRA, charges National Assembly to began investigation on the regulatory activities of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC.
MRA accused the agency of bowing to a “partisan” Minister of Information to suppress broadcasting stations in Nigeria by preventing them from criticizing government officials and powerful politicians.
A statement on Monday by Programme Officer Maimuna Momoh condemned the latest imposition of N2 million fine each on two television stations, Arise News and Television Continental, TVC.
Momoh described the NBC action as the new means of abusing its powers to repress broadcasters in violation of basic rules of natural justice.
MRA expressed sadness over NBC actions, adding that the body wrote the Broadcasting Code, to be the complainant of violations, investigate alleged breaches, prosecute the accused stations, and sit in judgment on the matter.
The organisation aired out grievances saying stations are not given the opportunity to defend themselves against allegations but are sanctioned through fines, “an affront to principles of fair hearing, equity and justice”.
Noting that NBC’s conduct is beyond imaginations , while believing that the agency is either being used for revenue generation or as a weapon to hinder stations from demanding responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.
The statement said it is ironic and outright dangerous that NBC is seeking to enforce truth and objectivity in the outputs of broadcasting stations “while taking directives from a partisan Minister of Information”.
“If the NBC is not deterred from this its approach to regulations, Nigerians will be fed only the Minister’s version of the truth, thereby defeating the purpose of Section 22 of the Constitution.”
Momoh emphasize that the principle guiding the operations of an authority regulating broadcasters should be independent and adequately protected against the interference of a political, commercial or other nature.
