NIGCOMSAT plans cheap DSTV broadcasting


THE Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has pledged to offer cheap DSTV broadcasting to Nigerians.
The Managing Director of the agency, Timansaniyu Ahmed-Rufai, who spoke while receiving the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, said Direct To Home (DTH) satellite broadcasting section of the agency could generate N20 billion for the country monthly.
The agency said Nigeria could also save more than N54 billion if electronic voting system is adopted for the 2015 elections.
Ahmed-Rufai stressed that facilities at his organisation had the capacity to create 100,000 jobs in the country in just a year if the various products developed by it were fully bought into by the government.
Ahmed-Rufai said DTH satellite broadcasting, which was wholly developed and produced by NIGCOMSAT’s engineers, would enable viewers to receive a minimum of 200 to 300 channels and would make satellite broadcast available in the rural and semi-rural areas where cable is difficult to install.
He said satellite broadcasting would be cheaper and also serve as superior alternative to Multichoice’s DSTV. According to him, the electronic voting solution of the agency “is superior to the one being used in America.”
The leadership of the PDP has called on the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to look inwards as it steps up considerations for the adoption of electronic voting in the country.
PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who took a tour of the electronic voting system developed at NIGCOMSAT in Abuja, yesterday stressed that the technologies he saw had the capacity of transforming the nation’s innovation system, calling on INEC and the relevant bodies to patronise what he referred to as world-class innovations produced in Nigeria.
Tukur, who was accompanied by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, stressed that he would brief other officials of his party to push for support for agencies like NIGCOMSAT.
“I will personally write to the President and the relevant bodies to encourage them to look inwards. We can’t keep neglecting our own and patronising technologies produced outside,” he said.