The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for a downward review of media operating licences based on the socio-economic realities in the country.
The president of the congress, Ayuba Waba made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
The chairman sued that the most palpable reason for the failure of many of the media houses to pay for the renewal of their operating licenses could be easily found in the deteriorating economic conditions in Nigeria.
“In defence of the media, democratic and economic rights of Nigerians, we had called on the NBC to rescind this decision to withdraw the operating licenses of the affected 53 media houses. In light of our foregoing concerns, we urge that the media operating licence be reviewed downwards as information dissemination is a social service’’, Waba said.
He blamed the recent withdrawal of the operating licenses of 52 media houses, especially television and radio media houses by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, for failing to renew their licenses due to the harsh operating environment.
Wabba, however, commended the NBC, for rescinding the withdrawal and allowing the affected media houses to continue to operate.
