A South African telecoms company, Multichoice in conjunction with its
\nNigeria subsidiary has once again failed in its bid to throw spanner in
\nthe works of the smooth migration of the country from analogue television
\nto digital broadcasting.<\/p>\n
Sources revealed that although Multi Choice did not take part in the
\ncompetitive bid, it tried to join the process through the back door but
\nfailed.<\/p>\n
Not done yet, officials of Multi choice allegedly visited the Economic and
\nFinancial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and after proper scrutiny of their
\nallegations, they were told the projects were executed.<\/p>\n
\u2018Yes, they came here with the allegation of fraud levelled against the NBC
\nand Pinnacle Communications. They were said to be enmeshed in N2.5 billion
\nfraud, we investigated their submission but the allegations could not hold
\nwater, after thorough investigations, we found out that the projects were
\nexecuted\u2019 a credible source revealed<\/p>\n
Having failed in their bid to scuttle the process of Digital Switch Over
\nthrough the EFCC, they proceeded to the Independent Corrupt Practices and
\nOther Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and that culminated into the
\nraging media report of alleged fraud in the award of the Federal
\nGovernment\u2019s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) project which was described as a
\ndeliberate attempt targeted at tarnishing the good reputation of the
\nDirector General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mallam
\nIs\u2019haq Modibbo Kawu.<\/p>\n
Officials of Pinnacle have distanced the company from any wrong doing and
\nfraud, so also is the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
\nNBC further said the attack might have been sponsored against Kawu whose
\nprofile has been on the rise on account of his role in ensuring the smooth
\nmigration of the country from analogue television broadcasting to digital
\nbroadcasting.<\/p>\n
It was alleged that the NBC boss recommended a private company, Pinnacle
\nCommunications Limited to the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai
\nMohammed, for the award of the DSO contract to the firm as well as the
\nrelease of N2.5bn contract sum.<\/p>\n
The report also alleged that Pinnacle Communications was not qualified to
\nhandle the project which is being spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of
\nInformation and Culture.<\/p>\n
But contrary to these allegations, investigation has revealed that the
\nfirm won the competitive bid conducted by the then Director General of the
\nNBC, Emeka Mba, while the said money was approved by the Presidency, and
\nnot the NBC Director General.<\/p>\n
Investigation further revealed that The Presidency had in 2016 released
\nN10bn to the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to implement the
\ndigital switch over programme and a White Paper was issued directing that
\nthe process be specifically handled by two companies\u2013 Pinnacle
\nCommunications and ITS, an affiliate of the Nigerian Television Authority
\n(NTA) \u2013 as winners of the bid to handle the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cMonies were released to these two companies by the Federal Ministry of
\nInformation and Culture on the orders of the Presidency after the
\ncontracts were carried out\u201d, a source, who pleaded to be anonymous, said.<\/p>\n
The source absolved Kawu and Pinnacle Communications of any wrong doing,
\nstressing that the alleged fraud was sponsored by an aggrieved rival
\ncompany that lost out of the contract, he said.<\/p>\n
The NBC in a swift reaction to the allegation said it was not aware of any
\ninvestigation by the ICPC of its Director General, Mallam Kawu.
\nThe commission\u2019s spokesperson, Hajia Maimuna Jimada, said the NBC \u201cis not
\naware of any fraud case involving the DG, and therefore not aware of any
\nICPC investigation on the DG.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jimada said the commission had been carrying out the Digital Switch-Over
\nscheme with utmost diligence and transparency, and would continue to do
\nthat till the project was completed across the country.<\/p>\n
It would be recalled that Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo commissioned the
\nAbuja project while that of the Kaduna was done by Governor Nasiru el
\nRufai.<\/p>\n
A South African telecoms company, Multichoice in conjunction with its Nigeria subsidiary has once again failed in its bid to throw spanner in the works of the smooth migration of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n