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‘Four African Nations May Meet Digitisation Deadline’
Ninety-seven African countries may not meet the June 17, 2015 deadline to switch-over from analogue to digital television broadcasting as a result of insufficient funding and poor infrastructure.
Telecommunications experts at the 5th African Digitalisation Seminar in Tianjin- Beijing at the weekend agreed that unless there was a miracle, only four African countries out of 54 would meet the June 17 switch-over date, just few days away.
Chairman of StarTimes, Dr. Xinxing Wang the organiser of the seminar, titled: “The Challenges of Digitalisation Project in Africa,” said it was a huge challenge financially that would affect the switch- over date.
Although, Wang pledged assistance of the Chinese Government, but added that African countries should be ready to embrace Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the project to speed up the programme.
“There are a lot of benefits from analogue to digital; it can create huge opportunities for business between China investors and African countries.
“The PPP model will enable all stakeholders to achieve a win-win situation in the broadcast industry and also promote cultural exchanges between China and African countries.
“We are aware that there are challenges facing this project in Africa, China is willing to assist. For instance, in Africa, Nigeria is StarTimes biggest market; we are working with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the largest network in Africa.
“We want to have more strategic partners in Africa so that we can produce more programmes in African language like Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo language.
“Our projection is that at the end of this year, we will cover 45 African countries.’’
Wang said that to meet the above challenges, African countries should be able to choose combinations that were cost effective to meet the huge financial responsibility.
“StarTimes will assist in funding the project in a joint venture and will propose a financial proposal that will include exclusive rights and training need of employees,’’ he promised.
The Director-General of the NTA, Mr Sola Omole, told newsmen that the project started well in Nigeria, but soon lost steam to political activities.
“We are not ready for the switch and the structure on ground does not support it,” he said.
Also speaking, a telecommunications analyst, Michael Dearham, who is also the vice president of StarTimes, said African countries need to make careful analysis in choosing an encoding method in order to save cost.
He stressed the need to speed up the digitalisation process by making it a priority, as it would guarantee more transmission, including quality programmes.
A representative of Guinea, Mrs Helen Manuzi, commended StarTimes for boosting the development of communication in many African countries.
Manuzi charged African countries to do everything possible to meet the deadline in inter-connectivity, as China was willing to assist.
Also speaking, Zambia Minister of Communication, who was represented by Dr Peter Ignius, said the seminar provided a platform for African countries to assess various levels and compare notes in the digitalisation process.
He said the seminar was timely as it was being held few days to the deadline, adding that “it is obvious that so many African countries cannot meet the deadline for various reasons.
“In Zambia, we have just completed phase one which may amount to 60 per cent completion.
“Zambia is ready to learn from China and also seek for assistance in completing the project.
“The synergy between China and Africa through media cooperation has continued to bring the two countries closer in so many areas,’’ he said.
A representative of Kenyan Government, Mr Joseph Ubamta said the delay in migration in Kenya was due to the litigation which had slowed down the roll out of the digital signal.
He, however, said that the legal issue has been resolved and that the project was 58 per cent completed enough to guarantee the June switch- over deadline.
Dr Fenella Mukangara,Tanzania’s Minister of Information and Communication, Youths and Sports, said Tanzania had made good progress since 2006 when the decision was taken by the International Television Union (ITU).
According to her, Tanzania is 100 per cent ready to meet the deadline as everything is in place and we successfully migrated in 2012.
“Our infrastructure is in place, the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) all in place and China has been most supportive.
“Our network has increased and the coverage area extends to Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Namibia,’’ she said.
the Tide source reports that over 50 African representatives, including African media representatives attended the programme.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.