Adopt National Communication, Community Radio Policies- NCRC

Participants at the just concluded Nigeria Community Radio Stakeholders Conference have urged the federal government to act expeditiously to adopt the draft reviewed National Communication Policy and the Community Radio Policy, and give appropriate directives to the regulatory body to licence grassroots community radio stations.
They also urged the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to come up with a framework through which other subsets of community radio can operate just as it had done in the case of campus radio, exercising its powers under Section 20 of the National Broadcasting Commission Act No. 38 of 1992, as amended, to make regulations for giving effect to the provisions of the Act.
In a communiqué issued at the end of conference also asked concerned authorities to “ensure that license for community radio is issued free of financial cost and that minimal charges are required for renewal and other administrative matters.
“Issue guidelines on equipment specification and standardization on community radio in line with UNESCO Training Manual Specification and the principles set out by the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC). Allocate transmission wattage to community radio stations on the basis of need and as dictated by geographical conditions of coverage area and liaise with campus radio operators, the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC) and other stakeholders, to work out effective and appropriate revenue generation processes” the communiqué also added
The participants also called for the exempt community radio stations from the requirement which compels broadcast stations to remit 2.5% of their total annual turnover to the Commission, since the operational philosophy of the radio stations is not profit oriented.
The three-day Nigeria Community Radio Stakeholders Conference was held as part of the struggle which culminated in the formation in 2005 of what is now known as the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC).
The Coalition was formed to sensitize and mobilize stakeholders and heighten advocacy to address the yawning gaps in the Nigerian broadcasting landscape that were and are still undermining democratic participation and efforts at national development.
Participants were unanimous that community radio, because of its immediacy, simplicity, cheap and participatory nature, use of indigenous and other community languages, and ability to reach large audiences, is the most effective medium of mass communication for driving development projects such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Vision 2020 and the Seven-Point Agenda of the Federal Government.
They acknowledged positive actions of the Federal Government and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in granting 27 licenses to campus communities, and also commended the Federal Government for the steps taken to institute appropriate policy framework in the communication sector.
The participants however expressed serious concern over Federal Government’s slow pace in the overall process of allowing Nigerian grassroots communities to own community radio structures.