Business
Federal High Court bars NBC from imposing fines on broadcast stations in Nigeria
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from imposing fines, henceforth, on broadcast stations in the country.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgement, also set aside the N500,000 fines imposed, on March 1, 2019, on each of the 45 broadcast stations.
Justice Omotosho held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations.
He further held that the NBC Code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the Constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law.
He said the court would not sit idle and watch a body imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law.
He said that the commission did not comply with the law when it sat as a complainant and at the same time, the court and the judge on its own matter.
The judge agreed that the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, being a subsidiary legislation that empowers an administrative body such as the NBC to.enforce its provisions cannot confer judicial powers on the commission to impose criminal sanctions or penalties such as fines.
He also agreed that the commission, not being Nigerian police, had no power to conduct criminal investigation that would lead to criminal trial and imposition of sanctions.
“This will go against the doctrine of separation of powers,” he said.
Omotosho held that what the doctrine sought to achieve was to prevent tyranny by concentrating too much powers in one organ.
“The action of the respondent qualifies as excessiveness” as it had ascribed to itself the judicial and executive powers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NBC had, on March 1, 2019, imposed the sum of N500, 000 each on 45 broadcast stations in the country over alleged violation of its code.
However, the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda had, in an originating motions marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1386/2021, sued the NBC as sole respondent in the suit.
In the motion dated Nov. 9, 2021 by its lawyer, Noah Ajare, the group sought a declaration that the sanctions procedure applied by the NBC in imposing N500,00Q fines on each of the 45 broadcast stations on March 1, 2019 was a violation of the rules of natural justice.
The lawyer also said that the fines were in violation of the right to fair hearing under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap AQ) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The group argued that this was so because the code, which created the alleged offences of which the broadcast stations were accused was written and adopted by the NBC, “and also gives powers to the said commission to receive complaints of alleged breaches, investigate and adjudicate the complaints, impose sanctions, including fines, and ultimately collect the fines, which the commission uses for its own purposes.”
They, therefore, sought an order setting aside the N500,000 fines purportedly imposed by the NBC on each of the 45 broadcast stations on Friday, March 1, 2019.
They also sought “an order of perpetual Injunction restraining the respondent, its servants, agents, privies, representatives or anyone acting for or on its behalf, from imposing fines on any of the broadcast stations or any other broadcast station in Nigeria for any alleged offence committed under the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.”
Delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho decsribed the NBC’s act as being ultra vires.
He held that the fines imposed by the NBC as punishment for commission of various offences under its code were contrary to the law and hereby declared as unconstitutional, null and void.
The judge also made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the commission from further imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country.
Courtesy: (NAN)
Business
FG plans largest dairy, cattle ranches in Ogun — Abiodun
” Whenever investors express interest in Nigeria, President Tinubu often directs them to Ogun State. His leadership has rekindled hope among Nigerians at home and in the diaspora,” the governor said.
Photo: Governor Dapo Abiodun
OGUN State Governor, Dapo Abiodun said today: ” The Federal Government is siting the largest dairy and cattle ranches in Nigeria at Ipokia and Yewa South Local Government Areas, with an initial capacity of 5,000 herds of cattle.”
The governor made the announcement during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Strategic Stakeholders Meeting at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, noting that the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen food security, boost local agricultural production, and deepen value chains across the state.
“The biggest dairy and cattle ranches will soon be established in Yewa South and Ipokia. This is at the instance of Mr. President. These farms will start with 5,000 herds of cattle, and work will begin very soon,” Abiodun said.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his economic reforms, highlighting their role in stabilising the foreign exchange market, eliminating multiple exchange-rate regimes, and boosting Nigeria’s foreign reserves to about $45 billion.
Abiodun also praised the President for consistent support towards Ogun State, including approvals for projects such as the Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Road reconstruction, funding of the Eba oil discovery, and resuscitation of OKLNG.
“Whenever investors express interest in Nigeria, President Tinubu often directs them to Ogun State. His leadership has rekindled hope among Nigerians at home and in the diaspora,” the governor said.
Business
12 states harmonise new tax reforms, says Oyedele
“Let us stop using consultants to collect taxes. It undermines our ability to do what is right. The new tax law says you cannot use consultants to do the routine work of the tax authority and its autonomy must be guaranteed.”
Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, says that twelve states have so far adopted tax reform and harmonised the new acts with their laws.
Oyedele disclosed this during a presentation at the National Economic Council Conference in Abuja, yesterday.
Oyedele said that besides the 12 states, 13 states have the bills in their houses of assembly, while 11 states are in the final stages of presenting the bills.
He said it was important for the states to adopt and harmonise the new tax laws with their state tax laws to avoid multiple taxation.
He advised state governors to grant their internal revenue agencies autonomy.
“Let us stop using consultants to collect taxes. It undermines our ability to do what is right. The new tax law says you cannot use consultants to do the routine work of the tax authority and its autonomy must be guaranteed,” he said.
Business
Heineken to cut global workforce by 6,000 as beer demands falter
There are fears that Nigeria would be impacted as the company revealed that the cuts would be focused on non-priority markets offering fewer growth prospects.
• Heineken
Global brewer, Heineken, yesterday, said it would retrench 6,000 staff out of its 87,000 global workforce this year as it grapples with weak demand and rising costs.
The second biggest brewer by market value has promised to deliver higher growth with less resources as it looks to assuage investors who said it has fallen behind on efficiency.
This is coming right after the surprise January resignation of its current Chief Executive Officer, Dolf van den Brink, leaving the company scrambling for a new CEO.Also, sales across the sector are faltering amid strained consumer finances, geopolitical turbulence and bad weather.
The company said this productivity drive will unlock savings and reduce its global head count by 5,000 to 6,000 positions over the next two years, roughly seven percent of its global workforce of 87,000 people.
The company’s head of finance, Harold van den Broek, added that they are doing this to strengthen operations and to be able to invest in growth.
There are fears that Nigeria would be impacted as the company revealed that the cuts would be focused on non-priority markets offering fewer growth prospects.
He added that further cuts would also result from previously announced initiatives targeting Heineken’s supply network, head office and regional business units.
Outgoing-CEO van den Brink, who steps down in May, said that there was no update on the brewer’s search for a successor.
Along with weak demand, brewers are facing long-term declines in beer sales in some key markets, dented by issues such concerns over the health impact of alcohol consumption.
Heineken expects slower profit growth for 2026 of between 2 and 6 per cent against the 4 to 8 per cent growth it guided for last year.
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