Rivers govt issues 48-hour demolition notice to AIT/Ray Power
Tamarauemi Ebimini
Rivers State Government has issued a 48-hour demolition notice on a transmission station belonging to Daar Communications in Ozuoba, Port Harcourt.
Daar Communications Plc are the owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power 106.5Fm in the state.
The state government directed the Media House to remove its property on the right of way of the proposed GRA Phase 5 housing project, Punch newspaper reported.
The notice was contained in a letter dated 20 March and signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Ebere Dennis-Emenike.
The Rivers government has been engaged in prolonged land disputes with the Daar Communications and had in September last year threatened to demolish the said property.
Ray Dokpesi, chairman of Daar Communications did not respond to requests for comments on the matter when contacted.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State in its reaction to the demolition notice urged the state government to engage Daar Communications on a peaceful negotiations to resolve the dispute.
The Union said it would not be happy to see a media house in the state being demolished over a land dispute that can be resolved peacefully.
Rivers NUJ chairman, Stanley Job and Secretary, Ike Wigodo made the appeal in a joint statement after the state government issued demolition notice on the media outfit.
