Digitalisation campaign has commenced in Jos to educate those at the grassroots, such as market women, artisans, and street folks.
To attract attention, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) organised a march from polo roundabout at the city centre to Hill Station Hotel Banquet Hall, venue of the campaign.
Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, represented by Information and Communication Commissioner, Olivia Dazyam, highlighted the benefits of the switch from analogue to digital to include increase in television channels, employment opportunities, and exposure of cultural varieties.
Jang urged council chairmen present at the event to sensitise their constituencies to ensure everyone is brought on board.
NBC Director General, Emeka Mba, represented by Director of Public Affairs, Awalu Salihu, commended Dazyam for facilitating the campaign and thanked GoTV and Star Time for pioneering digitalisation on the Plateau.
He said the NBC will provide set-up boxes for those using old television sets.
“Because of the urgency of the test-run of digitalisation on the Plateau, the Commission had to import the set-up boxes for now but it has contacted eight companies in Nigeria to produce the set-up boxes,” Mba explained.
State Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Chairman, Yakubu Taddy, gave an assurance that he and his colleagues will work with all stakeholders for the success of digitalisation.
State House of Assembly Information and Communication Committee Chairman, Diket Plang, congratulated the government and the NBC and other stakeholders for the launch and pledged that the Assembly will appropriate funds for mass oriented programmes and to train people on digitalisation.
The chairmen of the six councils in Plateau North, location of the first phase of the campaign, promised to take the scheme to their constituencies.
The programme will extend to cover the three senatorial zones of the state – Plateau North, Central, and South.