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Tag: NTA

  • Official opens up on N200 billion missing from NTA-StarTimes

    Official opens up on N200 billion missing from NTA-StarTimes

    The management of NTA-Star TV Network Ltd. says no N200 billion revenue is missing from its finances in the course of its operations.

    The company disclosed this in a statement issued by Mr Lazarus Ibeabuchi, its Public Relations Manager, in Abuja on Thursday.

    NTA-Star TV Network Ltd. is a joint venture between the Nigerian Television Authority and the StarTimes Group.

    He said that the company welcomed the forensic audit on its finances and operations as requested by the Senate’s Joint Committee on Finance and National Planning.

    “We also want to clarify that no revenue of N200 billion is missing as gross earnings have been repeatedly ploughed back into cost of production to cover cost of components.

    “The components are transmitters, equipment, generating sets and satellite, content acquisition, as well as operating costs, which include salaries and other running costs, incurred within our 10 years of operation.

    “NTA-Star TV Network Limited is a responsible corporate organisation with our business activities conforming to statutory laws and regulations.

    “Our accounts are audited by one of the big four audit firms in the world, widely known for its integrity and professionalism in the audit field.

    “Aside our statutory audits being carried out by external auditors, our financial activities are fully audited by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),” he said.

    He further noted that the loss in operations over the years was because its huge upfront investment was in U.S. dollars and the long-term cost recovery had met brick-walls with successive years of naira depreciation.

    He noted that Pay-TV business was capital intensive and had a long gestation period.

    “More than 80 per cent of inputs into our operations are dollar-denominated.

    “The naira fluctuations haven’t been favourable to the business, making it more and more difficult to meet dollar-denominated obligations.

    “We, however, regret the outcome of the Senate hearing, especially as it amounts to a media trial without proper due diligence.

    “To this end, we are open to a proper investigation into our operations and financials, especially as we believe the company is run in a prudent, responsible and sustainable manner.

    “With the support and trust of the public and business partners, StarTimes operating environment is fast improving, performance is rising, and our losses have been decreasing.

    “We believe that as a going concern, we will eventually achieve profitability shortly and make greater contributions to society,” he added.

  • Senate uncovers alleged multi-billion naira fraud in NTA, Star Times joint venture

    Senate uncovers alleged multi-billion naira fraud in NTA, Star Times joint venture

    The Senate on Friday uncovered an alleged multi-billion Naira fraud in the joint venture operations between, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and a Chinese Satellite Pay TV, StarTime.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that NTA entered a Joint Venture with StarTime in 2010 with a sharing ratio of 70-30 in favour of the Chinese company.

    The allegation came up when the Senate Joint Committee on Finance and National Planning scrutinized the spending and expenditure of the Nigerian Television Authority for 2021 with the details of the 2021-2023 MTEF & FSP documents.

    The Senate panel said it was stunned to discover that the multi-billion naira deal with StarTimes was not captured anywhere in the documents submitted to it as presented by the Director-General, Mallam Mohammed Yakubu.

    In response, Yakubu denied the allegation, stressing that NTA could not have blocked StarTimes as it was currently in a Joint Venture Agreement with the company.

    The DG’s statement prompted further questions from the Senate Panel on how much NTA had earned from the Joint Venture with StarTimes over the years.

    But even more, surprising to the Senate Panel was that the Joint Venture was not stated anywhere in the documents NTA submitted for the committee’s perusal.

    The suspicious Senate panel demanded to see records of what NTA generates from production, adverts and documentaries.

    It also asked that NTA should return on Monday with its debt profile that contains the names of its debtors, the date, amount incurred as well as the name of the officials that authorized it for publication.

  • NTA manager, Ayinde Soaga, tests positive for Covid-19

    NTA manager, Ayinde Soaga, tests positive for Covid-19

    The general manager of the Nigerian Television Authority in Kastina, Ayinde Soaga, who tested positive for the coronavirus.

    The family of the NTA boss in a statement issued by Kehinde Soaga, affirmed that the journalist had called the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control officials to carry out the test on him.

    ‘The family of Alhaj Ayinde Soaga, GM, NTA Katsina appreciates the numerous phone calls and concern raised about the report as regards his testing positive to COVID 19.

    We wish to confirm that he is in high spirit not bedridden as he personally called in the NCDC officials to carry out the test on him,” the statement said.

    The family said it was aware that coronavirus is not a death sentence and believing in God for healing. “We seek your prayers for a speedy and divine healing which Almighty Allah gives,” the statement said.

    “We appreciate the National Secretariat of NUJ, the Katsina State & FCT Councils of the Union as well as many other individuals and groups too numerous to mention for their quick intervention and prayers,” the family wrote.

    The NUJ in Kastina State said it sympathised with Mr Ayinde, his family, the Nigeria Television Authority(NTA Chapel) of the union as well as the entire journalists in the state over the development.

    “This, of course indicated the fact that Journalists are, exposed to danger in this hard period of rampage spread of Covid 19 pandemic everywhere in Nigeria particularly in most affected States including Katsina.

    The union thanked Katsina State government as well as its special task force on coronavirus for working round the clock to control the spread of the pandemic, and also called on people of the state to support government’s policies and programmes especially on the current coronavirus pandemic.

  • BREAKING(Covid-19): Buhari bows to pressure, agrees to speak with Nigerians today

    BREAKING(Covid-19): Buhari bows to pressure, agrees to speak with Nigerians today

    After several criticisms, President Muhammadu Buhari is set to address Nigerians.

    This was made known by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement on Sunday.

    The address is coming amid mounting criticism of the President to speak to Nigerians owing to the spread of the Coronavirus Disease to the country.

    Adesina had defended the President in an interview last week, saying it was his style.

    But in the statement on Sunday, Adesina said: “President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to the nation Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 7pm.

    “Television, radio and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) respectively for the broadcast.”

  • PDP shocked as Lai Mohammed requests $500m (N182b) loan to upgrade NTA

    PDP shocked as Lai Mohammed requests $500m (N182b) loan to upgrade NTA

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday criticised the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, over his request for $500 million loan for the upgrade of facilities at the Nigerian Television Authorities (NTA).

    The party urged the minister to jettison the plan as it would put a debt burden of about N182 billion on the nation.

    The minister, yesterday, announced the planned upgrade of the NTA with the loan, saying the $500 million facility would enable the television network to compete with American Cable Network News (CNN).

    But in a statement in Abuja by its spokesmen Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP urged the National Assembly to turn down the request.

    The statement said: “The PDP implores the National Assembly to reject the clear attempt by the cabal in the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency to worsen the economic situation in our country via the use of phony projects as guise to draw foreign funds to service their selfish economic and political interests.

    “The party notes that under the Buhari Presidency, our foreign debt has accumulated to $83 billion with nothing to show other than the excruciating unemployment rate, decayed infrastructure, a worsening governance system, escalated insecurity and unprecedented poverty.”

    “The PDP alerts that the request for the approval of $500 million is aimed at setting the stage for further fleecing of our nation’s economy as the Federal Government under the Buhari administration has shown no commitment towards nation-building, transparency and accountability in governance.”

    “Moreover, the Federal Government has failed to present details of the requested $29.9 billion loan in which the $500 million being requested by the Minister of Information and Culture is embedded; a development that points to nothing but the corruption in the Buhari administration.”

    “While counselling the minister to perish the thoughts of $500 million, the PDP charges him to use his appearance at the National Assembly to give account of the funds so far released to the Ministry of Information and Culture which has been plagued by cases and allegations of corruption under his watch.”

  • If we get $500m loan, we’ll ensure NTA competes with CNN- Lai Mohammed

    If we get $500m loan, we’ll ensure NTA competes with CNN- Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has pledged to turn around the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to enable it compete with the likes of Cable News Network (CNN) if the $500m loan the ministry requested is approved.

    He stated this when he appeared before Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans to defend the $500m loan the ministry applied for from President Muhammadu Buhari’s $29.96b loan for funding critical infrastructure in the country.

    The minister explained that if the fund was approved, the NTA could be upgraded to enable it to send out signals that would be at par with CNN, “because we have the manpower and the technology.”He explained that the creative industry was not just about Television alone, but film, music, fashion and photography, adding that there was no better platform to showcase Nigeria’s talents than having a digital system.

    He said the creative industry employs no fewer than one million young persons directly and indirectly, noting, “If this project is approved, there will be more visibility for our people in the music, fashion and film industries.

    “In 2014, we made $23m from music alone and about $53m in 2019 and we are looking forward to making $83m in 2025. You can imagine the kind of growth we will have if only we digitise all the NTA stations in the country.”

    He said the project for which the ministry planned to borrow the $500m was about employment and revenue generation, saying the industry contributes 1.492 to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    “Apart from agriculture, which is the largest employer of labour in Nigeria, especially the youths, the next largest employer of labour is the creative industry,” he said, insisting that the $500m would go a long way in improving the creative industry.

    “The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2006 gave June 17, 2015 as deadline for all members of the organisation to migrate from analogue to digital. Regrettably, we were unable to meet the deadline along side most countries in sub-Sahara Africa, the deadline was moved to 2017, which was not reliable and today the target is June 17, 2020,” he stated.

    He restated the need for the country to meet the new deadline because if the world migrates from analogue to digital and Nigeria remains analogue, it meant that it would be unable to enlighten, entertain and educate Nigerians. He said the loan was aimed at establishing the media and culture industry centre at the cost of $245m, digitise all NTA stations at $11m and construct integrated television services to infuse on network, which is signal distributor and essential component of the digitisation project.

  • NUJ condemns call for sales of National Theatre, NTA, VON, others

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), Lagos State Council, has condemned the call by a serving senator that some federal agencies should be sold.

    The union’s condemnation was contained in a communiqué it issued late Saturday night after its December monthly congress held at the Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Ikeja.

    The union during the congress deliberated on issues affecting its members as well as the state of the nation.

    In the communiqué signed by its chairman, Dr. Quaseem Akinreti said, “The Congress condemns in totality the call for the sales of some national commonwealth such as the Nigerian Television Authority( NTA) the National Theatre, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria(FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria,(VON), as canvassed by a member of the National Assembly.

    “The congress calls for the appropriate funding of these National Assets and other MDAs so that they will continue to generate employment opportunities for the nation.’’

    On beat associations, it urged owners of media houses to pay their staff as and when due to ensure decorum in the journalism practice.

    It condemned situations whereby some media owners owned their staffers several months of unpaid salary arrears.

    The congress also called on the NUJ at the national and state levels to always monitor activities of beat associations with a view to sanctioning those found to be involved in unethical conducts.

    On issues affecting members, it advised that all relevant stakeholders in the media industry should always be involved in taking unanimous decisions before such decisions were implemented.
    “It calls for a reorientation of members on proper conduct at assignments and the remodeling of beat associations in the line of professionalism.’’

    The congress, however, kicked against corrupt tendencies among members, while calling for the enforcement of rules guiding against unethical behaviours within the profession.

    The congress also decried the abandoning of the pursuance of the minimum Wage/Media Enhancement Bill by the national body of the union.

    “It promises to take the lead by submitting to the Lagos State House of Assembly a Media Enhancement Bill that will stipulate the guidelines to be adhered to by intending media owners in the state regarding salaries for their would-be workers.’’

    The congress also frowned at the upsurge of fake journalists in Lagos State and planned a review of journalists’ biometrics in 2018 to curb the menace.

    It also decried the incessant harassments of journalists by security operatives while on lawful duty in the communique.
    The congress said that it would through its state executive inaugurate a security chapel for public relations officers from the armed forces and other security agencies to forge cordial relations between the two organisations.

     

  • Nta bows out as ICPC chairman, hands over to Bako

    Nta bows out as ICPC chairman, hands over to Bako

    Mr. Ekpo Nta on Tuesday bowed out as chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission after six years at the helm.

    He handed over to Abdullahi Bako, a board member, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, spokesperson of the ICPC, said in a statement.

    Okoduwa said Bako would head the commission in acting capacity pending the assumption of duty by the chairman designate, Prof. Bola Owasanoye, who is awaiting Senate confirmation.

    In his valedictory speech, the out-gone chairman stated that he came into the ICPC at a time the commission was suffering an “identity a crisis” as to whether it was a law enforcement or civil service organisation.

    He was quoted as adding that he inherited a dilapidated physical structure housing the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.ADVERTISING

    Nta said the situation initially dampened his enthusiasm, but later spurred him into re-positioning the commission.

    According to Okoduwa, he said his first task was to work with the board members to place the ICPC in its rightful place based on its enabling law.

    He highlighted some of his achievements to include a high rate of investigation and prosecution of corruption cases and the introduction of preventive measures to check corruption in the civil and public service.

    Nta thanked the members of staff and management of the commission for their cooperation and support, describing them as highly dedicated and talented workers.

    Responding, Bako acknowledged Nta’s sterling performance and achievements at the commission.

    He solicited the support of management and staff within the period he would act, and urged them to remain disciplined and committed to duty.

    Nta was appointed acting Chairman of the ICPC by former President Goodluck Jonathan in November 2011, before his confirmation as the substantive chairman in 2012 for a five-year term.

    He now moves over to the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission as a full-time commissioner.
    NAN