Channels Television has dismissed comments made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the ownership of the land housing its headquarters in Abuja, insisting that the property was lawfully allocated.
Wike, during a media chat on Wednesday, had questioned the allocation of the Guzape property to the broadcaster, arguing that the station was benefiting from public land without paying for it.
He also defended the payment made for the live broadcast of the session, stating that media coverage is not offered free of charge.
“The land that you built Channels on is public land,” Wike said. “You are making money out of the public property. Did you buy it? No. It was allocated to you. Am I not going to pay for a live interview? It is not free.”
In its response on Thursday, Channels Television described the minister’s remarks as inaccurate, stating that the land was properly allocated to the organisation on March 6, 2007, for commercial use by the then FCT administration.
The station added that all statutory fees and charges required for the allocation were fully paid.
“It is not correct. The property which houses our national headquarters in the Guzape area of Abuja was allocated to CTV on March 6, 2007, for commercial purposes by the then FCT minister. We can confirm that all required fees and charges were fully paid,” the broadcaster said.
Channels Television also defended the payment for airing the minister’s media chat, explaining that such live broadcasts require technical deployment, outside broadcast vans, personnel, and airtime resources.
It added that it will continue to uphold journalistic standards and maintain public trust built over the years, while urging clarification on issues relating to land allocations involving media organisations.
“Our fees are out there. We are a news and broadcast media organisation. So, if you are going to lock down one, two, or three hours of airtime, of course you will pay,” it stated.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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