Wike Explains How Channels TV Makes Money From FCT Land Allocation

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the allocation of land to media organisations, arguing that such assets naturally contribute to their revenue generation through money-making ventures, contrary to claims by Channels Television.

Wike’s remarks came in response to a rebuttal by Channels Television on Thursday, which denied profiting from land allocated to it in Abuja’s Guzape district and challenged the minister to publish the names of journalists allotted land in the FCT.

Addressing the controversy, Wike maintained that media organisations operate as businesses and derive income from various commercial activities tied to their infrastructure.

“Media organisations are not set up for charity; they are for business,” he said. “They do adverts and collect money. Apart from payments for adverts and live coverage, there is commercial news on which money is paid.”

He continued, “This is how they make money to fund their operations and pay staff salaries. Why then should we hide this obvious fact?”

The minister argued that land allocated to media houses formed part of the assets that support their operations and, by extension, their revenue streams.

“So if the government allocated land, not sell, because in the FCT, government doesn’t sell lands to a media organisation to build structures where it runs its business, is the organisation not making money from the land?” Wike queried.

He also dismissed criticisms surrounding land allocations by the FCT Administration, including recent allocations to new ambassadors like other beneficiaries, insisting that the process was both lawful and consistent.

“Also, if allocation of land to you is right, why should it be wrong when others get it?” he added, defending the policy as equitable.

LEADERSHIP reports that Channels Television, in its earlier response, had rejected the minister’s claims and called for greater openness.