The Director General of Radio Nigeria, Mohammed Bulama, embarked on a familiarization tour to the Radio Nigeria Abuja Operations facilities and assets and one on one interaction with staff, along with members of the FRCN Central Management team on Wednesday, 7th February 2024.
The visit provided an opportunity for the DG to assess the station’s assets and liabilities, and engage directly with members of staff, and to strategize on restoring the station to functionality.
The Abuja operations station, housing a now nonfunctional medium wave and short wave channel established to serve Abuja and its environs and the world, have faced operational challenges hindering its broadcast over the years.
The Director, Radio Nigeria Abuja Operations, Alhaja Sherifat Ahmed, in company of the Committee of Management Team of Abuja Operations, led the DG through various facilities and assets, giving him details about their history, documentation and a breakdown of the challenges preventing the station from its proper and full operations.
Some of the challenges she disclosed include, dilapidated facilities as well as encroachment on stations land and properties by the host community.
On the tour, the DG acknowledged the wealth of assets he saw on ground for the station and for the welfare of the staff. He commended the management of Abuja Operations for the courage to retrieve these properties and securing its ownership. He expressed surprise at the lack of management, development and improvement of these assets over the years, that have allowed some encroachment by others on FRCN property and equipment going obsolete.
In the forum with staff, the DG said repositioning the station and FRCN as a whole is a huge task ahead, but it is a task that must be done. He pledged to address the challenges, like lack of power, state of the art equipment, ICT, training and retraining, staff welfare, which have prevented the station from being functional.
Dr. Bulama, also disclosed his plans to seek collaboration with the Federal Government, international organisations, other countries, state government, FCTA administration, as well as area council chairmen and traditional rulers, to revive and enhance the station’s operations.
Additionally, he also revealed the possibility of collaboration with international broadcast media, like the BBC, Radio France International, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC.
In response, the Chief of Pai, Isa Iyapai, who was also a former staff of Radio Nigeria, expressed gratitude to the DG for his patience. He lamented the lack of radio stations catering to the local government areas in the FCT, highlighting the revenue potential such a station is revived.
The former General Manager of Harmony FM Ilorin, Alhaji Olarenwaju, lamented the poor treatment and nonexistent welfare for staff in cases of sicknesses, emerges and even death. He said this is very demoralizing and a demotivator to work and dedication.
The DG responded, assuring them of a change in these practices of the past in FRCN. He however called on the members of staff to have a change of attitude towards their jobs and embrace team work and team spirit, as he cannot transform radio Nigeria alone without the staff cooperation. He called for more dedication to work.
Radio Nigeria, Abuja Operations was commissioned in 1980 to broadcast in indigenous languages, serving the information needs of FCT residents and its environs. It presently operates with three stations, Kapital FM, Abuja, Power FM Bida, and Click Naija Online Radio Channel, a channel meant specifically for the youths.
Story: Christy Dung
Editing: Ehi Ohiani