By Kingsley Okoye
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has called on the National Assembly for the review of its Establishment Act, to ensure optimal performance and enhance its revenue generation.
Mr Buki Ponle, the Managing Director, NAN, made the call at day interactive session on 2022-2025 MTEF-FSP, organised by the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja on Thursday.
Ponle said that the agency had made name as the largest news content provider in Nigeria, over the years especially in the media space.
He said that underfunding and non review of its act were factors inhibiting its optimal operations especially in the area of revenue generation and general performance.
We are not initially made to generate revenue, but as time went by, this was added to us and so far, we have been performing optimally well.
But two things have been inhibiting our performance, first is underfunding and the second is non review of the act, establishing the agency.
Up till now, we cannot operate optimally and this has affected our performance in terms of collecting revenue and until that review is done, we may still be where we are in terms of revenue, but we strive to generate more fund, he said.
Ponle said that NAN has so far generated about N100 million as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He said that most of the agencys subscribers had been defaulting in paying for services, because they perceived it as a social services provider.
When we tried to review our tariff upward, many still complained, which led to holding up of the tariff increase, we are still operating on the old tariff, but by next year we will start with the new tariff with effect from Jan. 1, 2023, he said.
Ponle said the review of the act would give the agency the monopoly to control inflow of foreign news as well as enhance its operations among others.
With your support, we can do more,Ponle said.
Responding, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, a member of the committee pledged the commitment of the senate to ensure the review of the act.
Sen. Solomon Adeola, the Chairman of the Committee urged NAN management to redouble its efforts in generating more funds.
Adeola said the senate would work towards the review of the act to ensure the agencys optimal performance in news dissemination and revenue generation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Saidu Adamu/Ali Baba-Inuwa
Source: NAN News