Government Insists On June 2015 Digital Migration Deadline

The Federal Government of Nigeria says it is not prepared to take any excuse from any state in the federation over failure to comply with the June 17, 2015 deadline for digital migration.

During a forum of representatives of state broadcast houses and members of the National Broadcasting Commission in Abuja, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said that the government had put in place all the necessary facilities to ensure a smooth migration by middle of next year.

It was the extra ordinary meeting of the National Council of Information, comprising the Minister of Information, commissioners in charge of information in the states, directors in the Federal Ministry of Information and heads of parastatals under the Information Ministry.

The meeting was meant to acquaint members on the level of implementation of the digitisation process in all the states.

While government is making efforts to ensure the compliance, the Minister of Information expressed concern that the present security situation may be a threat to full migration.

Already, the Federal Government had flagged-off the switch last month in Jos, the Plateau State Capital and other states are prepared for the migration.

The digital migration deadline was given by the International Telecommunication Union about five years ago, with the aim of freeing more spectrum for the development of broadcast sub-sector.

Some other dignitaries at the meeting were the Niger State Commissioner for Information, Danladi Mohammed, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Markson Sesegha and the Director General, National Broadcasting Commission, Emeka Mba amongst others.