Why AIT Signals Have Been Going Of And On Recently

Indebtedness to satellite providers: AIT goes off air
Thursday, 11 March 2010 16:32

AIT
The operations of DAAR Communications Plc, Nigeria’s mega private television network, ground to a halt today as its international and national network signals were taken off air. AIT may still be able to produce local programs on UHF. AIT Television is the major service of DAAR Communications Plc. a company that was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange. Saharareporters had reported in July last year that the company was on the verge of crumbling due to major financial troubles and mismanagement, but its owner, Raymond Dokpesi, shot back in a rejoinder, claiming that the company was in good health.

One of the key problems was that despite the company going public in 2008, Mr. Dokpesi had continued to run it not only as a private enterprise, but as a one-man operation. An investor famously described it as "a corporate wreck-in-progress." that owes backlogs of staff salaries.

Similarly, in an article in Saharareporters last August, a former member of staff lamented Dokpesi's recklessness and mismanagement. "It is obvious that if DAAR is to be saved, the SEC and NSE should embark on the rescue job before it's too late," he wrote.

Sources said the company, which received sole rights to air the recent Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria, now looks forward to the Federal government of Nigeria to pay the debt it owed it for transmitting the FIFA event.
http://www.saharareporters.com/real-...s-off-air.html