By Yemi Adedeji, Abuja
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations have blamed the delay in implementing the switch over from analogue to digital broadcasting in Nigeria on sharp practices.
The coalition formed by 11 CSOs also issued a one-week ultimatum to the federal government to address the problem or face a major protest.
The groups said the failure of the federal government to meet the switch over date was due to alleged misappropriation of funds and sharp practices within the industry and called on Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, to address the issue.
Their views were contained in a communique signed by Solomon Adodo, the National Coordinator, Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, Yomi David for the Transparently Advocacy for Development Initiative; Okpanachi Jacob for the Civil Society Advocacy Group for Accountability and Probity; Adebimpe Adeboye for the Royal Empowerment for Development Initiative; and Raymond Obuseh for the Integrity Leaders International Development Initiative, among others.
The Communique reads: “The Minister of Information should correct the anomaly or face a serious protest from the civil society,”
“Evident records bear it clear that Integrated Television Service Limited has been used as a conduit for diverting public funds at the detriment of the efficient implementation of the Digital Switch Over project.
“We found out to our dismay that a certain cartel is working at cross purposes with the digital switch over plan for self-serving pecuniary interests.”
The group alleged that out of N1.7billion given to the ITS to purchase equipment for the smooth transition to the digital switch over, a greater chunk was diverted to private pockets, while only a paltry sum was committed to the purchase of very obsolete and substandard equipment.
“This in itself poses a great threat to Nigeria’s DSO plan. It therefore behoves on us as ever vigilant civil society to expose the seething corruption, waste of public resources, inept services and compromise,” it stated.
It also said, “On the heels of these inescapable questions, we herein make our sole and singular prayer that the entire irregularities the process has been fraught with be addressed within seven days of this notice.
