The Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) is to resume operations next year, five months after it was shut down by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Kayode Fayemi, Yinka Oyebode, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

He revealed that the governor has given approval for BSES to commence operation on January 1, 2019, following its re-opening by the NBC.

The commission ordered the closure of the state-owned broadcast station on July 15, for breaching provisions of the Broadcasting Code.

According to the NBC, the broadcast service breached the Electoral Act and Broadcasting Code by allowing former Governor Ayodele Fayose to announce results of the July 14 governorship election in favour of his then deputy, Professor Kolapo Olusola.

Oyebode, however, explained that the re-opening of the broadcast service followed the submission of the report of a panel set up by the state government to look into the remote and immediate causes of the closure.

He added that following Governor Fayemi’s engagement with NBC leadership, the NBC agreed to instalment payment of the fines slammed on the station.

The governor, therefore, approved the January 1 commencement date and directed that all arrangements for the re-opening be concluded within the next one week.

He thanked the management of the regulatory body under the leadership of Isha’q Modibbo Kawu for its understanding.

Governor Fayemi assured them that the government would put necessary structures in place to ensure that the BSES was run professionally.

He also directed one of the most senior officials of BSES, Mr Idowu Oguntuase, to be in charge as acting General Manager, pending the outcome of the white paper on the Visitation Panel report.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report