The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, yesterday said he had no plan to sell the state government-owned radio outfit, Radio Kwara.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede, said Ahmed reassured the citizenry of his determination to complete the ongoing transformation of The Herald newspaper, Radio Kwara, Midland FM and Kwara State Television (KWTV) into ultramodern media houses that every Kwaran will be proud of.
The statement explained that Ahmed remains totally committed to the promise to bequeath ultramodern state-owned media houses before the expiration of his tenure.
“It is the only non-infrastructure project accommodated under the Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K), the funding window under which funds are released for projects on quarterly basis.
While explaining that the re-positioning of KWTV has been completed, he disclosed that digital signals of the station will be switched on as soon as testing is completed in days.
He said the government had also purchased and delivered digital cameras, lights, digital consoles, switchers and other modern equipment to the station to ensure its capacity to compete favourably. He added that the governor had ensured the complete renovation and extension of KWTV’s premises in order to make the environment more convenient for the station’s employees.
He explained that relevant trainings were also being conducted for all staff of the station so that they can perform their duties optimally.
Dwelling further on the next phases of the re-positioning projects, Akorede informed that government would ensure the purchase of a new 10KW digital transmitter for Midland FM; renovation of Midland FM premises; completion of the renovation of Broadcasting House in GRA; purchase of new digital live and recording studios for Radio Kwara AM; and a complete overhaul of the AM station’s transmitters to ensure that the signals are received across the whole of the state.
“On The Herald newspapers, I can assure you that plans are afoot to completely renovate the buildings from where the newspaper will operate, revamp the website, and purchase new printers.
“With the approval of the governor, The Herald has already been re-positioned as a regional newspaper with its news hole covering the critical North Central market and the contiguous centres.
“Consequently, Governor Ahmed is also set to complete the activation of The Herald’s Bureau Offices beginning with Abuja, Kogi, Niger, Benue, Oyo, Osun, Lagos, and Ado-Ekiti.”
