COVER
Broadcast Media: Buhari Approves Stiff Penalties for Code Breach
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the review of the National Broadcasting Code and extant broadcasting laws to reflect stiffer penalties for violators.
The President has also endorsed the implementation of reforms to end all forms of monopoly detrimental to the actualisation of the immense potential of the broadcast industry.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed this on Thursday, in Abuja while inaugurating the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Reform Implementation Committee.
Specifically, the Minister said the President approved the upward review of fines from N500,000 to N5 million for breaches
relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency.
He said the President also approved that willful repeat of infractions on three occasions after levying fine on a station should attract suspension of license.
The minister said Buhari also approved the upgrade of breach of political comments relating to hate speeches and divisive comments to ”Class A” offence in the Broadcasting Code.
Other approvals by the President according to the Minister include: “Amendments of the NBC Act to enable NBC license WebTv and radio stations, including foreign broadcasters beaming signals into Nigeria
“Recruitment of more monitoring staff for the NBC. At the moment, there are only about 200 Staff monitoring about 1,000 radio and television stations.
“Deployment of adequate monitoring equipment and technologies for the NBC and enhancement of welfare packages of NBC staff to avoid their compromise in the line of duty’.
The President, according to the minister, said that the reviewed code must also ensure the Independence of the NBC from political interference in the exercise of its regulatory powers, particularly with respect to the
issuance and withdrawal of broadcasting license.
Mohammed said the decisions were sequel to the deliberations at the Federal Executive
Council (FEC) of March 27, on the unprofessional and unethical conduct of some broadcast stations, especially before and during the last general elections.
” The President directed me to institute an inquiry into the conduct of the stations and
report back to the Council
“Consequently, I inaugurated a five-member committee on Wednesday, April 10th 2019 with the following terms of reference:
“To find out to what extent the NBC was able to effectively carry out its regulatory role before and during the 2019 general elections.
” Recommend measures that could strengthen the NBC’s regulatory role and make it more effective.
“The committee submitted its report on April 24th 2019, with 26 recommendations, and I subsequently forwarded the report to Mr.
President, who has since approved them,” he said.
The minister, therefore, charged the reform implementation committee to carry out a thorough job that will re-position the NBC as a effective and efficient regulator.
‘We are now at the implementation stage, hence I have appointed seven ‘wise’ men and woman to design the framework for the
implementation,” he said.
The minister said that the terms of reference of the committee included the implementation of the recommendations of the committee on the NBC reforms as approved by the President.
He said the committee should immediately commence work on all statutory, legal and regulatory framework for further legislative action on the review of the NBC Act by the National Assembly.
The minister tasked the committee to immediately establish and publicise a new sanctioning, fines and penalty regime that is in line with international best practice.
He said the new penalty regime would also help to promote professionalism and serve as a deterrent to erring practitioners against misconduct, especially hate speech, violence and spread of fake news.
Mohammed tasked the committee to establish and publish a new regulation for the licensing of Web or Internet and International broadcasters in Nigeria.
He said the committee should immediately assess and propose equipment, materials and training needed to make the NBC a modern and well-positioned regulator
‘ The committee should liaise with relevant agencies to ensure the provision of the
manpower needs of the Commission to enable it function optimally
“It should work out the modalities for a competitive and reasonable salaries, wages and other welfare needs of the staff of the Commission
“Establish necessary protocols for the establishment or appointment of professionals or technocrats (non-partisan personality) to run the agency, and appointment into the board of the NBC”
The Minister also directed the committee to end all forms of monopoly detrimental to the actualization of the immense potential of the broadcast industry.
The minister gave the committee chaired by Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, Director of Monitoring of the NBC, six weeks to submit its report.
Other members of the committee are, Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, Acting Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON),
Mr Agbo Ndubuisi, Board Member, NBC and Mr J.K. Ehicheoya, Director, Legal Services in the Ministry.
Others are, Hajia Binta Bello, Secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria Mr. Ibrahim Jimoh, Director of Administration, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and Mr. Joe Mutah, Chief Press Secretary to the minister who will serve as the Secretary. (NAN)
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
Senate yesterday set up a seven-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the lack of completion of the $18.5billion Abuja Centenary Economic City project, a decade after commencement.The Upper Chamber tasked the committee to review the original Public Private Partnership agreement and recommend amendments if necessary to facilitate the smooth and expeditious completion of the project.
The Senate also urged the Federal Government to prioritise the revival of the Centenary City project by providing appropriate support, resolving regulatory issues and addressing any other impediments, given its beneficial potential to the economy and people of Nigeria after 10 years of stalled progress. The resolutions of the senate followed its consideration of a motion titled: “Urgent need to revive and complete the stalled Centenary City Project, to realise its economic and development potential” during plenary yesterday.The motion was sponsored by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ashiru Yisa (APC – Kwara South).Senator Yisa in his lead debate urged colleagues to note that the Abuja Centenary Economic City project commenced in 2014 through a public private partnership to develop a modern city in the mood of Dubai, to commemorate 100 years of Nigeria’s amalgamation celebration.The Abuja Centenary Economic City Project was to be built according to the model and standard of global smart cities like Dubai, Monaco and Singapore.President Goodluck Jonathan laid foundation for the project on February 27, 2014 with a funfare.After Jonathan was defeated in the 2015 general elections, the succeeding Muhammadu Buhari administration put a halt to the project.The project driven by private investors was launched to mark the 100th anniversary of Nigeria costing $18b with 10–15 years completion period.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a July 7, 2024 deadline for Point of Sales (PoS) operators to complete registration with the Corporate Affairs Corporation (CAC).This was revealed during a meeting between Fintechs and the Registrar-General/Chief Executive Officer (CAC) Hussaini Magaji (SAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, the CAC boss said the two-month timeline to register their agents, merchants, and individuals with the commission, was “in line with legal requirements and the directives of the Central Bank of Nigeria”. “The measure aims at safeguarding the businesses of Fintech’s customers and strengthening the economy,” a statement titled ‘CAC, PoS Operators Agree to Two-Month Deadline to Register Their Agents and Merchants to Strengthen the Fintech Industry”, the CAC added.He stressed that the action was equally backed by Section 863, Subsection 1 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAMA 2020, and the 2013 CBN guidelines on agent banking.Magaji explained that the timeline for the registration which will expire on July 7, 2024, was not targeted at any groups or individuals but aimed at protecting businesses.Several speakers from the Fintech industry pledged to collaborate with the commission to ensure hitch-free implementation of the directive.Some of them, however, stressed the need for adequate and collective sensitisation, to ensure that the exercise achieved the desired results.The Special Adviser to the President on ICT Development and Innovation, Tokoni Peter, in his remarks, pledged to ensure smooth facilitation of the process in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative of the present administrationThe representatives of Opay, Momba, Palmpay Ltd, Pay Stack, Fair Money MFB, Monie Point, and Teasy Pay present at the event, later signed up for a document to support the project.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has exempted 16 items from the 0.5 per cent Cybersecurity levy on all electronic transactions.CBN had directed banks to begin charging 0.5% cybersecurity levy on transactions as part of efforts to contain the rising cybercrime threats in the financial system.
According to the Apex Bank, deducted funds will be remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund (NCF), which shall be administered by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). A circular released by the CBN on Monday directed all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks to comply with the directive.The circular revealed that it was a follow-up on an earlier letter dated June 25, 2018 (Ref: BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/05/008) and October 5, 2018 (Ref: BSD/DIR/GEN/LAB/11/023), in compliance with the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015.Following the enactment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (amendment) Act 2024 and under the provision of Section 44 (2)(a) of the Act, a levy of 0.5 per cent (0.005) equivalent to half per cent of all electronic transactions value by the business specified in the Second Schedule of the Act is to be remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund, which the Office of the National Security Adviser shall administer.The exemptions included loan disbursements and repayments, salary payments, intra-account transfers within the same bank or between different banks for the same customer, intra-bank transfers between customers of the same bank, and Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) instructions to their correspondent banks.The exemption also applies to interbank placements, banks’ transfers to CBN and vice versa, inter-branch transfers within a bank, cheque clearing and settlements, and Letters of Credit (LCs).Others include banks’ recapitalisation-related funding only bulk funds movement from collection accounts; savings and deposits including transactions involving long-term investments such as treasury bills, bonds; and commercial papers; government social welfare programmes transactions, e.g. pension payments; non-profit and charitable transactions including donations to registered non-profit organisations or charities; educational institutions transactions, including tuition payments and other transaction involving schools, universities, or other educational institutions.Transactions involving the bank’s internal accounts, such as suspense accounts, clearing accounts, profit and loss accounts, inter-branch accounts, reserve accounts, nostro and vostro accounts, and escrow accounts, are also exempt from the levy.The central bank warned that Section 44 (8) of the Act prescribes that failure to remit the levy constitutes an offence punishable on conviction by a fine of not less than two percent of the defaulting business’s annual turnover, among other things.
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