Exercise Caution in NBC/NCC Merger

The sentiments greeting the proposed merger of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have been varied but the federal government must be careful not dislocate the delicate bases on which the agencies stand.

The implication for the planned merger would be the complete dismantle of the successful structures and frameworks of the two agencies that were built over the years.

But it may be too early to borrow from merged institutions around the world that are helping to fire the kilns of development in their various countries because of Nigeria’s peculiar situation.

For the proponents of the merger, it will address the problem of non-availability of frequency spectrums for broadband Internet services as there will be only one agency in charge of all the spectrums, which will duly allocate same according to need and requirement.

To them, the restructuring of the broadcast and the telecommunications sectors was imperative, if Nigeria would make headway in addressing emerging challenges in digital convergence.

According to them, with a single technology device, people could listen to radio commentaries, watch television, make phone calls, watch and stream videos online among others.

For critics of the civil service, the merger is one big shot at corruption and profligacy.

Agreed that the various reasons canvassed for the merger are cogent but the move may even compound the inefficiency it seeks to curb and expose the critical sectors further to abuses of grave concern.

NCC and NBC are very successful public institutions and shining examples of government agencies in this era when their counterparts are meshed in cesspool of corruption and inefficiency.

In merging the two agencies, government must make the two agencies equal partners because their various philosophies and agendas are vital for the growth of the economy.

Any attempt to lean heavily towards one of the merging agencies will definitely disrupt their structures and ideologies and hurt the country’s technological march.

And unless this merger would prove an exception, there has never been any known successful merger carried out by government in the past.