Minister of Information, Labaran Maku has stated that Nigeria is on course to meet the December deadline for migration from analogue to digital transmission. The minister who stated this while addressing journalists at the International Seminar organized by AAAN in Abuja, said though problems are still being encountered at the state level, meeting the deadline is realistic.
“We are working hard to meet up; definitely working hard to meet up. We had an emergency national council on information last Saturday, we brought all the state governors. But the problem we are having is at the level of state. In the last three years, we have been on this, working with them; agreeing on templates and deadlines,” he said.
Maku pointed out that digital transmission has take off in Jos, Plateau state which is a sign that it would soon be extended to other parts of the country. In his words: “A lot of the states have done quite a good job. On the 5th of this month, we switched off analogue broadcasting in Jos and in the next six weeks, Jos will be completely on digital platform. So we are urging states to make this the priority.
“We have asked states to be ready by October 31st. By then, every state should be ready to hook-on to a digital signal distributor. And between then and 31 December, we hope to switch the various cities onto the platform.”
He also disclosed that conclusion would soon be reached on emergence of a second signal distributor in addition to NTA. Adding that through this, the country would be freeing the spectrum that is being used now to broadcast signal for internet broadband development to speed up our internet. He therefore advised that people should not go and buy an analogue TV now because by next year, it might not be working.
