Online Media Will Be Regulated, Says Lai Mohammed – TheNigerialawyer

* Says Buhari endorses stiffer penalties for violators of
broadcasting codes

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says online
news platforms will soon be regulated.

The minister said this on Thursday in Abuja when he inaugurated
a seven-man committee set up to implement reforms in the National
Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Mohammed said the reforms that will be implemented by the
committee are recommendations approved by President Muhammadu
Buhari.

He said Buhari approved an amendment to the NBC act to enable it
to license WebTv and radio stations, including foreign broadcasters
beaming signals into the country.

Specifically, the minister said that 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 wilful 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 are:
“Amendment 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 frameworks 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 and Internet
broadcasters/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 News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 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.