Radio Nigeria experiments Solar Power as alternative source of energy.
DG Mansur Liman standing at extreme (r) taking questions at the 2023 News Summit in Bauchi
By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
The Director General Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria FRCN Dr Mansur Liman says the organisation is working towards providing Solar power as an alternative source to reduce the cost of fuel and recurrent epileptic power supply.
He gave the indication at the opening of a two day Capacity Building and Post Mortem of 2023 Elections for reporters, editors and supervisors in Bauchi.
Dr Mansur Liman said the issues of inadequate power supply and cost of diesel and petrol are negatively affecting the corporation’s activities, hence the resolve to commence experimental test of solar power at some Zonal and FM stations to see to its viability and to reduce cost.
“Electricity is not m, diesel is very expensive that is the reality and we cannot hide away, we don’t have any magic, but what I can say is recently we have started experimenting something, that is trying to provide solar energy to some stations. I said this is an experiment and we are trying to do that,” Liman discloses.
The DG also disclosed that the corporation is ready and willing to enter into barter agreement with companies providing such services to ameliorate the power challenges in due course.
He further disclosed that the organisation had established a Directorate of New Media to integrate Social Media to bring young people into its fold of listeners.
“It is a post mortem meeting, we want to sit down and discuss and see what things have happened during the elections, how did we cover the elections, what were the challenges we had during the elections and what are the things that we can do better. But because we have come here for two days, there are certain issues again within the FRCN, within the workings of our news room that we wanted to discuss, those are the things we are currently discussing,” he adds.
Liman said the summit was geared towards bringing the attention of the news Directorate on the need for mandatory daily editorial meetings, fixers desk and planning desk reviews to make the staff proactive and always on the go.
Reviewing the 2023 Election Coverage, the Deputy Director Political FRCN Henrietta Ibrahim noted the successes and challenges recorded by reporters, editors and supervisors towards effective reportage of election activities.
In a paper titled; Broadcasting and National Integration, a Former Director General of the FRCN Mrs Maria Odeh underscored the need for journalists to set agenda for discourse, ensure gatekeeping and integrate new media into radio broadcast.
Maria Odeh stressed the need for them to promote national integration through provision of accurate information, fostering dialogue, advocating inclusion, holding power to account, celebrating Diversity and educating the public.
Earlier, the Host and Northeast Zonal Director of the Corporation Barrister Babayo Askira welcomed the management and participants to the 2023 Summit and wished them a successful deliberations.
The 2023 FRCN Annual News Summit with the theme; Agenda setting and Solutions Oriented Reportage skills drew over one hundred participants from the news Directorate at Headquarters, Zonal and FM stations across the country.
