* Using over 860 plots of land free of charge for over 20 years without paying ground rents, no documents.
*Using free Mast of FRCN handed over to the State Govt.
Eric Olusesan/Port Harcourt
Rivers State government has lashed at DAAR Communications, owners of AIT/RAYPOWER as ungrateful tenants who occupied free land to operate for over 20 years without paying a dime.
The State accused the management of the Broadcast outfit of blackmailing the government for taking back its property it had acquired unlawfully.
Dr. George Kelly-Alabo, Rivers State Commissioner for Works has lashed out at the management of DAAR communications for being ungrateful and blackmailing the Rivers State government who has given the broadcast outfit accommodation for over 20 years.
Kelly said: “The building that has been housing the media was given to AIT/Raypower free of charge by The Rivers State government all these years
“That property belongs to The Rivers State government and that property has been given to them pro bono all these years, today, they are blackmailing the Rivers State government who has been so magnanimous to them. This is the height of ingratitude”.
George Kelly pointed out since the DAAR communications occupied the large expanse of land, there has never been any documentation on it. There is no Certificate of Occupancy(C of O) and the Company has never paid any ground rent to the government for over 20 years for using the land.
He also alleged that the mast of River State government which their communication is using it’s not even their mast.
He dismissed the insinuation that the demolition was influenced by the former Governor Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).
He said the demolition has nothing to do with the Minister.
Commissioner of Works explained that the State government has continuously reminded the Company that the land and the mast is not their own property it belongs to the Federal Radio Nigeria and handed over to the State government, which given to DAAR communications free of charge.
Kelly regretted that the management of DAAR are not strictler to procedures and documentation.
“When you write them letters they will not respond. You call them for a meeting they will not respond. When you send them letters sometime they refuse to pick them and you compelled to paste on their gate. How can a responsible organisation can be using state government property for the past 20 years and they’re not paying anything and now they are blackmailing the River State government. Is it right?”
Our Correspondent reports that yesterday the transmitter house was brought down by the Rivers State government after it was disconnected on Sunday by officials of the Rivers state government.
Speaking to Our Correspondent, Acting Head of Station, Daar Communications in Port Harcourt, Anthony Ekiko, said the shutting down would affect about 85 per cent of its workforce which are drawn from the four host communities who will be out of job.
He condemned the state government’s action, saying the latter did not consult the company before carrying out the action and called for adherence to the rule of law.
A brief history of the place shows that the River State House of Assembly after receiving petitions from all the four host communities and inquiry was conducted through Public hearing and House of Assembly passed a resolution ordering the state government to takeover the property sitting on 860 plots of land because it was illegally acquired.
The South-South Zonal, Vice President, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Opaka Dokubo, described the shutdown of the media outfit as unfortunate, regretting that many Journalists will be out of job. He said that for democracy to thrive we need vibrant press like independent media like the AIT group.