ABAKALIKI—EBONYI State government has banned the broadcast of religious programmes/activities on the state-owned media, Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation, EBBC.
Members of some religious bodies who spoke with Vanguard claimed that when they went to EBBC to book for airing of their programmes they were told that the state government was no longer interested in the broadcast of religious activities.
A pastor in one of the new generation churches in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “I went to book for our usual slot on EBBC and was told that the government was complaining about the rate at which religious programmes featured on television and radio stations.
I spoke with one of their heads in the station who pleaded anonymity to know why our programmes was no longer aired, I was told that the state government said the station was not built for religious programmes but for broadcast of government activities which are intended to showcase the achievements of the present administration of Governor Martin Elechi.”
“What most churches have done is to run to Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, to book for slots. We want to appeal to Governor Elechi to rescind his decision. I want to say that the lives of most people in the state are being affected positively by these religious programmes. It has over the years led to reduction in crime, cultism and extra-judicial killing in the state”
But Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Chike Onwe, said the government did not ban religious programmes on EBBC, but only suspended them on both radio and television for a review and auditing of programmes carried out by the EBBC.
Members of some religious bodies who spoke with Vanguard claimed that when they went to EBBC to book for airing of their programmes they were told that the state government was no longer interested in the broadcast of religious activities.
A pastor in one of the new generation churches in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “I went to book for our usual slot on EBBC and was told that the government was complaining about the rate at which religious programmes featured on television and radio stations.
I spoke with one of their heads in the station who pleaded anonymity to know why our programmes was no longer aired, I was told that the state government said the station was not built for religious programmes but for broadcast of government activities which are intended to showcase the achievements of the present administration of Governor Martin Elechi.”
“What most churches have done is to run to Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, to book for slots. We want to appeal to Governor Elechi to rescind his decision. I want to say that the lives of most people in the state are being affected positively by these religious programmes. It has over the years led to reduction in crime, cultism and extra-judicial killing in the state”
But Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Chike Onwe, said the government did not ban religious programmes on EBBC, but only suspended them on both radio and television for a review and auditing of programmes carried out by the EBBC.
Source: The Vanguard
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