Broadcasting stations found guilty of promoting hate speech, inciting comments and indecency will be fined N5 million as opposed to the original N500,000.
Besides, such stations may have their licences suspended if they willfully repeat infractions on three occasions after having been fined.
These actions will take effect after the modalities supporting them would have been put in place by the Federal Government.
This indication was given on Thursday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the inauguration of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Reform Implementation Committee in Abuja.
The fine, the minister said, was one of the measures recommended by the five-member committee set up by the government on April 10, 2019, to among other things, find out to what extent the NBC was able to effectively carry out its regulatory role before and during the 2019 general elections.
The committee was also asked to recommend measures that could strengthen the NBC’s regulatory role and make it more effective.
In calling for a review of the National Broadcasting Code and extant broadcasting laws as a way to make the NBC function more effectively, the committee, according to Lai Mohammed recommended:
“- Upward review of fines from N500,000 to N5,000,000 for breaches relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency;
“- Willful repeat of infractions on three occasions after levying fine on a station to attract suspension of license;
“- Upgrade of breach of political comments relating to hate speeches and divisive comments to ”Class A” offence in the Broadcasting Code;
“- Amendment of the NBC Act to enable NBC license WebTv and radio stations, including foreign broadcasters beaming signals into Nigeria;
“C) 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;
“D) Deployment of adequate monitoring equipment and technologies for the NBC;
“E) Enhancement of welfare packages of NBC staff to avoid their compromise in the line of duty.”
The minister said it was in the bid to start the implementation of the recommendations of the committee which had already been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari that the seven-man committee being inaugurated was set up.
The new committee is to come up with the a framework for the implementation of the recommendations.
While the Director of Monitoring of the NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, will chair the committee, the Chief Press Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Mr. Joe Mutah, will serve as its secretary.
Other members of the committee are: the Acting Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa; the Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, J.K. Ehicheoya; Secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hajia Binta Adamu Bello; Director of Administration, FRCN, Mr. Ibrahim Jimoh and Board Member, NBC, Agbo Kingsley Ndubuisi.
The minister stated that the terms of reference of the committee are as follows:
– To implement the recommendations of the committee on the NBC reforms as approved by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari.
– To 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
– To immediately assess and propose equipment, materials and training needed to make the NBC a modern and well-positioned regulator
– To liaise with relevant agencies to ensure the provision of the manpower needs of the Commission to enable it function optimally
– To work out the modalities for a competitive and reasonable salaries, wages and other welfare needs of the staff of the Commission
– To 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
– To immediately establish and publicize a new sanctioning, fines and penalty regime that is in line with international best practice, promote professionalism and serve as a deterrent to erring practitioners against misconduct, especially hate speech, violence and spread of fake news
– To establish and publish a new regulation for the licensing of Web and Internet broadcasters/International broadcasters in Nigeria.
– And finally to end all forms of monopoly detrimental to the actualization of the immense potential of the broadcast industry
The committee was given six weeks to submit its report.
“I have no doubt that this Committee, which comprises highly-experienced professionals and administrators, will carry out a thorough job that will re-position the NBC as an effective and efficient regulator,” the minister said.
