Channels Television has rejected claims from Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), regarding the allocation of a parcel of land housing its headquarters in Abuja.
On Wednesday, during a media chat, Wike had questioned the allocation of the plot to the television station in Guzape, arguing that the media organisation was profiting from public property allocated by government.
Wike also defended payments made for the live broadcast of the media chat, saying media organisations do not offer such coverage for free.
“The land that you built Channels on is public land,” the minister said.
“You are making money out of the public property. Did you buy it? No. It was allocated to you.
“Am I not going to pay for a live interview? It is not free.”
Responding during its broadcast on Thursday, Channels Television described the minister’s comments as incorrect, saying the land was legally allocated to the station for commercial purposes on March 6, 2007.
The station said all required fees and statutory charges connected to the land were fully paid.
“It is not correct. The property which houses our national headquarters in the Guzape area of Abuja was allocated to CTV on March 6, 2007, for commercial purposes by the then FCT minister,” the station said.
“We can confirm that all required fees and charges were fully paid.”
The organisation also defended payments received for the live transmission of the minister’s media chat, noting that such broadcasts involve deployment of outside broadcasting vans, technical crew, and airtime resources.
Channels added that it would continue to ask “the right questions” and maintain the credibility and trust it has built in three decades.
The broadcaster further urged the FCT minister to provide full clarification on allegations relating to land alloted to journalists, insisting that any fees attached to such allocations should be duly paid.
“Our fees are out there. We are a news and broadcast media organisation. So, if you are going to lock down one, two, or three hours of airtime, of course you will pay,” the statement added.
