MEDIA IN NIGERIA #02 - 11 (31 MARCH 2003)

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MEDIA IN NIGERIA is a weekly publication on developments within and
affecting the media/communication/freedom of expression sector in Nigeria.

It is an initiative of the Institute for Media and Society (IMS), a
non-profit,
non-governmental organization based in Lagos, Nigeria.
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NEWS

MEDIA - GENERAL
-NATIONAL ASSEMBLY URGED TO PASS FOI BILL BEFORE END OF TENURE
-NUJ TO PICKET DEBTOR MEDIA ORGANISATINS, HONOURS OBASANJO

BROADCAST
-NTA EXPLAINS STAFF MOVEMENT
-APRIL POLLS: TRIBUNE FLAYS UNFAIR MEDIA COVERAGE.

INFOTECH
-NITEL: GOVT, WORKERS AGREE ON 10 PERCENT PAY INCREASE
-GOVT RULES OUT LOWER GSM TARIFF
-ECONET PLANS N11 BILLION NETWORK EXPANSION

ARTS
-MUSICIAN'S BODY SACKS PRESIDENT

MEDIA - GENERAL

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY URGED TO PASS FOI BILL BEFORE END OF TENURE.

The National Assembly has been urged to pass the freedom of Information Bill
before the end of its tenure.

The call was made by the executive secretary of the Human Rights Commission,
Bukhari Bello, at a roundtable in Abuja on the Bill which is pending before
the National Assembly.

He opined that the passage of the Bill would add value to the work of the
anti-graft commission.

The Human Rights Commission has been paying advocacy visits to a number of
government organisations to drum up support for the quick passage of the
Bill.

Hearing on the Bill is at the final stages in the National Assembly.

NUJ TO PICKET DEBTOR MEDIA ORGANISATINS, HONOURS OBASANJO.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has announced that it will embark on
picketing of media organisations which have not paid salary arrears of
journalists, from the first week of this month.

The measure is part of the resolutions contained in the communiqué issued at
the end of the inaugural meeting of its National Working Committee (NWC)
held recently in Abuja. The communiqué also announced the union's
decision to honour President Olusegun Obasanjo with its fellowship even as
it flayed the spate of politically motivated violence in the country.

It warned that something urgent should be done to stem the tide of political
violence to safe guard the country's democracy.

In a related development, the Kwara State council of the union has
threatened to withdraw its members from political assignments if the rising
wave of political violence in the state is not checked. The union said it
was worried about the safety of journalists who would be covering the
political processes in the state as the April general election draws near.

Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, has been a flash point of violent political
clashes, which has claimed several lives.

BROADCAST

NTA EXPLAINS STAFF MOVEMENT

On going transfer of staff in the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) was
dictated by operational exigencies.

Kehinde Ogundimu, NTA's Head, Public Affairs and International Relations,
said in a statement that the movements were necessitated by the 15 new
stations opened recently by the organization. He explained that the new
stations required the experience of established staff of the organization to
complement the efforts of the general managers.

APRIL POLLS: TRIBUNE FLAYS UNFAIR MEDIA COVERAGE.

As charges of unfair or biased media coverage of election campaign by
politicians continue to reverberate throughout the country, journalists and
broadcasters have been reminded of the need to uphold the code of conduct of
their professions by upholding the truth and promoting transparency and
accountability in the electoral process.
In an editorial titled, "Elections and fair media coverage," The Nigeria
Tribune newspaper, in its March 26 edition, flayed the activities of media
organizations who have compromised their watch-dog roles by allowing their
media to be used as propaganda organs of certain candidates.

It particularly condemned the actions of some state-owned Radio and TV
stations who have denied access to opponents of Governors who are seeking
re-election.

The paper warned that journalists have a responsibility not to contribute to
the process of aborting the country's democracy. It called on the
regulatory agency for the broadcast industry and the Nigeria Union of
journalists to enforce their respective codes of conduct.

INFOTECH

NITEL: GOVT, WORKERS AGREE ON 10 PERCENT PAY INCREASE

In an move apparently aimed at dousing the fire of industrial unrest in the
Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), the federal Government may have
conceded a 10 percent pay increase to the workers.

Industrial unions in the national carrier have since the transfer of the
management of the company to a management contractor, Pentascope
International of Netherland, embarked on a protest action that witnessed
partial shut-down of network for a couple of days in recent weeks.

Following the action which the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) described
as "illegal" on the premise that the workers embarked upon the action
without regards for provisions of existing laws, the Burean had invited the
police to prosecute the aligned offenders.

But in a reconciliatory gesture last week, the minister of communications,
Bello Mohammed, invited the unions to a meeting where the decision to allow
a 10 percent increase in wages was taken.

However, the increase is subject to an approval by the presidency.

Also, a copy of the agreement signed between the government and the Dutch
company, Pentascope International, is to be made available to the unions
after "due clearance from the appropriate authorities".

With the accord, the coat seems clear for Pentascope International to assume
effective control and management of NITEL.

GOVT RULES OUT LOWER GSM TARIFF

In what seem like a sudden change of its precious position on the tariff
regime by Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) service providers in
the country, the Nigerian government has ruled out any downward review of
the tariff.

Communications minister, Bello Mohammed, who disclosed this, said the
government had secured a cut in tariff by ensuring that it remains at N50
per minute in two years irrespective of the inflationary trend.

"I keep telling you, the tariff has actually come down because of government
action. Two years ago, they were charging N50 per minute when N85 was
equivalent to one dollar. Now at N135 per dollar they are still charging
N50", the minister said.

The minister who was addressing the general meeting of the West African
Telecommunications Regulators Association (WATRA) also lamented the use of
multiple SIM cards by citizens of Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS). He aligned with suggestions by Remi Aribisala, Deputy Executive
Secretary of ECOWAS, for Integration Programmes, that all telecommunications
regulatory bodies in ECOWAS should facilitate the roaming agreements "so
that it will be possible to use the same mobile terminal without changing
the sim card, within the sub-region".

ECONET PLANS N11 BILLION NETWORK EXPANSION

Econet Wireless Nigeria, one of the Global System of Mobile Communications
(GSM) service providers in Nigeri,a has announced plans to expand its
network with an investment of N11 billion.

The fund which will be expended on building the second phase of the
network's national microwave transmission backbone, was sourced through the
All First Bank of Baltimore, USA and guaranteed by U.S. Exim bank. On
completion, the project is expected to extend Econet network's coverage to
most parts of the country.

Zachary Wazara, Econet Chief Executive said the All First facility was
axiomatic of the growing confidence of international institutions in
Nigeria's telecoms industry.

Recently, network congestion has become the major problem of GSM providers
in Nigeria.

ARTS

MUSICIAN'S BODY SACKS PRESIDENT

Things may have fallen apart in the house of musicians as the National
Executive Council (NEC) of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria
(PMAN), last week announced the impeachment of its president, Femi Lasode.

The NEC had passed a vote-of-no-confidence on Lasode, accusing him of
several misdemeanors including running the union as a private business and
ignoring NEC's summons.

Consequently, 18 state chairmen of the association and an ex-officio member
converged in Lagos and invoked provisions of the PMAN constitution to
dissolve the Lasode-led executive.

"We can no longer tolerate the non-challant attitude of the immediate past
president of the musician's union. Since he came into office, he has been
operating the affairs like his personal business. By our constitution, Femi
and his executive were supposed to have called NEC meetings at least three
times in a year which he never did and; above all, his executed was not
inaugurated by NEC", says Jesika Jonathan, Abia State chairman of the union.

Veteran musician, Ibezim Okilo, has been elected chairman of the newly
constituted caretaker committee to run the affairs of the union.

Lasode is yet to publicly react to his alleged impeachment.

-----ENDS----

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