Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa state has directed the demolished Breeze 99.9 FM to pay fine; effectively ruling out the payment of compensation to the management of the private radio.
“The matter is already concluded; compensation will not be paid over government’s action,” the governor said, in Lafia on Tuesday while he was distributing relief materials to 50 communities hit by various crises.
He said that government had directed the Nasarawa Urban Development Board (NUDB) to fine the radio station for violating approved land laws.
The NUDB, on May 12, 2017 demolished the station, citing violation of approved laws.
According to information commissioner, Abdulhamid Kwarra, the action became necessary to protect people living in the neighbourhood against radioactive materials from the station’s mast.
The station has threatened to go to court to challenge the action which it said was a reaction to its insistence on reporting the ongoing workers strike.
But Al-Makura, who reacted to the threat, said that the station would be fined to deter others from committing similar offence.
“Nasarawa government will not pay any compensation as is being suggested in some quarters. It is the management of Breeze FM that will pay a fine for violating laid down rules.
“You cannot have a radio station where you have a restaurant, a business centre and a prayer centre. It does not happen anywhere,”he said.
He added that the demolition exercise that brought down the radio station would also affect other structures that failed to adhere strictly to laid down laws on buildings.
“All houses built on wrong sites, which have not adhered to development regulations, will be destroyed whether they be residences, factories or radio stations.
“People must learn to comply and abide by rules and regulations,” he said.
According to him, government has already directed development control agencies and the Ministry of Land to identify homes, offices and commercial centres that do not conform or abide by regulations and give them statutory notices.
“After the notices, their structures will definitely go down the way Breeze FM went.
“So, I want to use this opportunity to call on people to please abide by the rules and regulations,” he said.(NAN)
