Rivers State Government says it pulled down DAAR transmitter complex in Port Harcourt because the organisation refused to develop the property after two decades that it was allocated to the company.
Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George-Kelly D. Alabo, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday explained that the transmitter complex of DAAR Communications, operators of Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM was pulled down because DAAR Communications failed to develop the land more than two decades after allocation by the Rivers State Government.
He furthermore stated that DAAR Communications does not have any document to lay claim to the land, including some of the facilities AIT and Raypower FM had been using.
“Originally the structure they were using and the mast they claimed to own do not belong to them. Ab initio, part of those structures belong to Radio Nigeria, they ceded that place to Rivers State Government.”
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“DAAR Communications does not have any document to prove that the land or those facilities belong to them. We are talking of over 400 plots of land here,” he added.
Dr. George-Kelly disclosed that the plots of land have been allocated to Rivers indigenes saying that the state government has started construction of a network of roads and drains on the vast land.
“Now we have fenced out the undeveloped portion of the land, as I speak to you, all of those plots have been allocated to Rivers indigenes for immediate development.
“A network of roads and drains is being done so that it will become a kind of estate for Rivers people. The state government wants that place to be GRA Phase V,” he stated.
The Works Commissioner refuted the insinuation that the action of the state government is connected with the political feud that existed between the former governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike and the late founder of Daar Group, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi.
“That is totally fictitious and irresponsible, maliciously woven to tarnish the image of the immediate past governor of Rivers State.
“The former governor of the state took this decision solely for the interest of Rivers State and not for any political vendetta. The interest of one business man cannot override the interest of millions of Rivers people,” the Commissioner added.
The state government on Monday pulled down the transmitter complex of the broadcast station an action condemned by Nigerians and Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON).
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