More states get ready for DSO as group secures Set-Top Boxes deal in Osun State
As June this year, the terminal date for the nationwide Digital Switch over (DSO) gets closer, many states of the federation are getting set to avoid being left behind in the digital era of broadcast experience.
Accordingly, the RLG/Adulawo Technology Company has secured a multi-billion naira contract for the production of terrestrial broadcast set top boxes from the Nigeria Television Authority’s TV Enterprises in Osun State.
Before Niger and few other states have keyed into the deal of upgrading their transmitters to fall in line with the demands of the transition come June this year.
It would be recalled that Nigeria had missed two deadlines for the DSO before now.
Giving an insight to the good news in Osun, Maxwell Loko, managing director of NTA Television Enterprise, who led a delegation of the company to the Governor after another inspection of the facilities at the RLG/Adulawo Technology Company, said the contract for the production of the Terrestrial Broadcast Set-Top Boxes (STB) for digital switch-over from analogue in the country is worth $30.5million.
He also presented the contract paper to the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, whose government partnered the Ghana-based RLG Technology Company since 2013 for the training of Osun youths under the Osun Youths Technology Trainings Acquisition Scheme, OYESTECH.
Loko revealed that Federal Government’s decision to partner RLG Adulawo was a result of the capacity of the company to deliver on the terms and conditions attached to the contract.
RLG Adulawo Technology Factory which was established through the initiative of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola led administration in the state has in the last four years been one of the major manufacturers of commonly used electronics devices including phones in Nigeria such as telephone handsets and computers.
He revealed further that RLG had installed capacity for 600,000 Set Top Boxes (STB) per month and it is expected to produce over a million STB before the June 2017 deadline.
In his submission, he averred that “This is a technology in motion. This contract is a signal to the fact that Nigeria is also moving towards achieving an enhanced technology.
“This gesture would go a long way in encouraging other sectors to develop capacities that can make Nigeria compete favourably with her counterparts in terms of advanced science and technology.
“It is also a sign to the fact that the country is not only advancing technologically or scientifically but also has the capacity to promote locally made products, thus, generating wealth and creating jobs for her youths.
“Our partnership with the RLG/Adulawo which is an agency established by Osun Government is a clear manifestation towards the commitment of the state to promote science and technology”, he stressed.
Earlier, the Osun state Governor Aregbesola described the partnership as a breakthrough that will further boost the efforts of his administration on youth empowerment and economic progress.
Responding to questions from journalists, the representative of the Director General of National Broadcasting Commission, Eng Friday Ukwela, said out of 13 companies that are licenced to produce the Set Top Boxes, RLG Adulawo Technology City was one of the few who have gone far in product deliveries.
Commenting on the preparedness of the country ahead of the June DSO, Chairman Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on Digital Switch-over, Mr. Sunday Marshar-Katun, said the Committee was set up to supervise the process of STB procurement in order to meet up with the deadline.
