All arrangements have been concluded for state-owned Media houses in Kwara State to resume full operations next week.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the Sole Administrator of the Herald, Kwara State Television and Radio Kwara, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, expressed regret over the operational setback experienced by the media houses in recent times. He pledged that efforts are on to resolve the problems in the incoming week when the organisations are expected to receive subventions and salaries.
According to him, the media houses’ setbacks were caused by current financial challenges. Explaining further with regard to Midland FM, he said besides the operational challenges at the station, an expensive component of the existing analogue transmitter got damaged last week and is in the process of being replaced.
He said the station’s new digital transmitter, procured by the government earlier this year, could not be deployed in replacement due to the non-availability of a variable digital Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS).
Akorede said although the station has a functional UPS, it could not be configured for the new transmitter as it’s output is variable. He, however, stressed efforts were on by the government to procure the appropriate UPS for use with the new transmitter.
Speaking on the digitized Kwara State Television, he explained that the station initially resorted to reduced hours of transmission in the light of operational challenges but will revert to normal hours next week.
The same applies to the Herald Newspaper, which he said, remains the only government-operated newspaper in Nigeria. He said that despite these temporary setbacks, the state government has repurposed all the three media houses to better fulfil their statutory mandate of informing the people of Kwara State on the government’s activities.
In keeping with this resolve, he said, the state government has constructed a new building for the Herald Newspapers, digitized and re-equipped Kwara State Television and Midland FM as well as replaced faulty transmitter parts at Radio Kwara besides acquiring digital live and production equipment for the pioneer radio station in the state.
Akorede assured staff and audiences of the media houses that the state government remains committed to supporting them to reach their potential despite temporary challenges, which he said, would be overcome soon.
Packaged by Mariam Azeez
