NBC to broadcast stations: Pay your debt before March 15, or be shut down
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has sounded a warning to all broadcasting stations in the country to complete all their outstanding debts before March 15, 2017 or face sanctions.
The NBC who gave the broadcast stations a three-week ultimatum to meet all their outstanding debt said it has become worrisome, because of the huge debt involved.
The Director General of National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Is’haq Modibo Kawu gave the warning at the broadcast stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja.
He said it was regrettable that many broadcast stations operating in Nigeria have refused to pay their license fees amounting to N5 billion and threatened to invoke all relevant laws against erring stations to recover the debt.
Kawu said, “There are very worrisome issues in our operations. The first is the situation whereby many stations have refused to pay their licence fees; even the statutory act of informing the NBC, six months before the expiration of licence and signifying intention to continue as a licencee is ignored.
“Our licencees carry on as if they have their licences for keeps and the NBC cannot withdraw licences. It is important to remind us all that all licences are provisional, no matter how long you have held them. Digital Studio And for emphasis, I want to let you know that stations are owing over N5 billion as licence fees. I will like to use this medium to inform you, that the NBC would be invoking the relevant laws against erring stations.
Consequently, all stations without exception are expected to complete all payments owed to the Commission by March 15, 2017,” he said.
