The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned broadcasting stations to desist from using foul languages to create disharmony and tension among people.
It said it will not hesitate to sanction any station that uses broadcasting to destabilise the country.
The Director-General, Mallam Is’haq Modibo Kawu, who gave the warning at the commission’s meeting with licensees in Lagos yesterday, said N4.368billion was being owed the commission by some stations for licence renewal fees.
He advised defaulting stations to work out repayment plans of their debts, as the commission would keep to the September 15 deadline of repayment.
Kawu said such stations must show commitment to pay their debts before the election; otherwise the commission will take them out before the election’s adverts start coming in.
“The payment plan between now and September 15 will not change. There must be undertakings by the stations,” he added.
“Licence fee is a mandatory fee you must pay for you to operate the business of broadcasting. I cannot do anything about it. I am not a supporter of capitalist business, but in business there are no emotions. I don’t enforce emotions. I enforce the laws. You get fined if you violate the commission’s code. On a quarterly basis we bring out report on this. I deal with objective reality, which is that you owed the NBC. And you must pay. The obligation to pay has nothing to do with the profit you made. People confuse the two, they are not the same,” Kawu said.