The Zamfara State Commissioner of Information, Hon. Ibrahim Dosara has commended Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle for his foresight in the immediate reconstruction of the state Radio station which was burnt down during the immediate past administration of ex-Governor Yari.
The Commissioner made the commendation on Wednesday, August 11th, 2021 while inspecting facilities put in place by the present administration at the state AM Radio station in Gusau, the state capital, as part of his familiarization visit of media outfits under the state ministry of information.
Mr Dosara said the immediate reconstruction of the station which was razed by fire in 2018 and left unrepaired by the immediate past administration, has demonstrated Gov Matawalle’s sense of responsibility, zeal, commitment and determination to move the information industry forward.
The Commissioner recalled how the Radio station was completely destroyed by the inferno, forcing the staff to relocate to temporary structures, which made their operation very difficult, but has now been reconstructed with additional and improved structures, higher quality and world class architectural designs.
He said with the present building structures, the state Radio station would be more efficient and effective in discharging the responsibility of information dissemination across the state and beyond.
The Commissioner who also commended the staff and management of the station, urged them to ensure maintenance culture in the utilisation of the new buildings and facilities provided by the government.
Alhaji Dosara said unless the buildings and facilities were fully protected and maintained, value for the money spent in the rehabilitation of the station would not be realised.
“We must ensure proper maintenance and utilisation of the buildings and facilities put in place, as well as daily cleaning of the offices, studios and general environment of the Radio station to bring value for money expended in the process of reconstructing the station,” Dosara emphasized.
The Commissioner also urged the management of the Radio station to work hard towards improving their revenue generation capacity to reduce the level of dependence on government for cash backing.
He said one of the cardinal objectives of establishing the new State Media Corporation is to improve the revenue generation capacity of all the media industry in the state, to make them independent.
He said when the corporation takes off in no distant time, it would provide man power training and retraining of Staff for quality assurance in the production of news and programmes in all the six state owned media outlets.
Dosara said the media corporation would also have the responsibility of contents development, supervision and monitoring of news and programmes in the media industry.
He said a training school for all media workers would be established under the corporation for regular training and retraining, to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of Staff in all the state owned media organisations under the ministry of information.
The Commissioner challenged the staff of the station to be computer literate, as required by the present scheme of media industry, giving them six months grace within which to learn how to manipulate computers to bridge the existing gap between them and their counterparts in the media industry.
The Commissioner who was conducted round the Radio station by the Acting Chairman of the station Alh Rufai Mohammed Anka and members of his management team, assured them of a smooth and cordial working relationship between the station and the ministry of information throughout his stewardship as the commissioner of information.
Earlier in his speech the Acting Chairman of the station Alh Rufai Mohammed Anka told the Commissioner some of the problems and challenges of the station.
Some of the problems and challenges according the Acting Chairman included;
Lack of regular power supply, inadequate operational vehicles and computers, insufficient transmitters, shortages of man power and funds, for the day to day running of the station.
Rufai Mohammed Anka commended the efforts of Governor Matawalle for the immediate kick starting of the station which was almost off air before his taking over of the government, and urged him to continue to support the efforts of the station in keeping the state informed of the good policies and programmes of the present administration.
The Acting Chairman also assured the Commissioner of the Radio station’s total commitment to supporting Matawalle’s efforts in tackling banditry and other criminal activities in the state by educating and enlightening the public on the numerous achievements and the development projects being executed in the state.
The Commissioner was accompanied in the visit by the permanent secretary are Sani Nasarawa and directors of the ministry.