The Nigerian government has ordered MultiChoice owners of DSTV Cable TV services to suspend the implementation of its new tariffs.
The new tariff is an hike on different bouquets on its Digital Satellite Television, DSTV.
The Acting Director General of Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), Mr. Armstrong Idachaba issued the order on Tuesday, July 1.
The order was also reiterated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who also states that the Federal government was planning to break the Sporting rights monopoly of DSTV.
The duo spoke at the National Assembly, while briefing members of an Ad Hoc Committee looking into the hike in tariffs.
“I want to agree, with the Committee and call on DSTV to suspend the hike in tariffs”, Idachaba, said when pushed by the Committee.
“Mr Mohammed had also earlier told lawmakers that he already signed a code to break the monopoly of MultiChoice in the country, saying “our amendments to the Broadcasting Act, will affect the break in the monopoly of MultiChoice. Amendments to Section 628 of the Broadcasting Act, is in our broad national interest.”
The Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee and other lawmakers who questioned the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed on the new rates issued by Multichoice for payment of DSTV subscription, decried the high cost of tariffs.
According to him, the House viewed the increase in the price of subscription of satellite television on the Pay As You Go system as an affront that must be immediately suspended.
