NBC’s SANCTION: Radio Bayelsa Working to Clear Outstanding License Renewal Fees – GM
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The management of Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Bayelsa has said it was working to clear outstanding license renewal fees before the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) announced revocation of its licence
The General Manager of the station, Mr Terrence Ekise, while reacting to the development on Friday, said that the station had paid over N13 million out of the N17 million debt.
He explained that the station was surprised that in spite of ongoing efforts at clearing the backlog of N17 million, the station was listed among those affected.
“We have been working and making progress with NBC under the tenure of the previous DG, but when the new DG came, he did not want to listen to anything, and our Commissioner was so disappointed with the posture of NBC.
“At a time during the COVID-19 lockdown, there was a grace period and we had series of negotiations and reconciliation of what we have paid so far and we showed good faith to offset the remaining N4 million, but they still listed us,” he said.
He said that the Bayelsa government was paying greater attention to the station with the rebuilding of its office complex and order for a new transmitter as well as studio equipment.
He said that whilst the station is awaiting the arrival of the new transmitter, the installation of new studio equipment at the newly built office complex was ongoing.
The NBC had on Friday announced the revocation of the licenses of more than 50 radio and television stations, including Bayelsa Broadcasting Corporation over N2.6 billion debt.
The Director-General of NBC, Mr Balarabe Ilelah, who announced the sanctions at a news conference on Friday in Abuja, ordered the affected stations to shutdown in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile , the directive by the broadcast regulator to affected stations to shutdown within 24 hours of the revocation order was yet to be complied with by two FM stations affected in Yenagoa.
Rythms FM and Glory FM are still on air running their regular programmes as of Saturday morning
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