Work to bring Ebonyi broadcast stations at par with other renowned stations in Nigeria, Nwifuru charges new board

Ebonyi state Governor, Francis Nwifuru has urged the newly inaugurated Board of the state broadcasting Corporation to work assiduously towards positioning the state television station to favourably compete with renowned national and private TV stations in Nigeria.

 

The Governor gave the charge on Monday while inaugurating the newly appointed Board chairman and members of Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation in his office in Abakaliki.

 

The Corporation houses the State radio and television stations: Salt FM and Salt Television.

 

The 9-member Board has as its Chairman, Chief Donatus Owo, a veteran broadcaster and Press Secretary to the wife of the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, Rachael Umahi, as its chairman.

 

Other members includes the Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Samson Nwafor, other three practising journalists in the state: Felix Uka, Chinwe Imo-Eze and Nnamdi Akpa who is the immediate past Secretary of the State Council of NUJ.

 

Also in the Board are Sunny Akpagu and Engr. Emmanuel Nwuzor Oriji with the Head of Administration in the Corporation, John Igwe, nominated by the DG as the Secretary of the Borad in line with the establishment laws.

 

Recall that the Governor had earlier appointed the immediate past Chairman of the State Council of NUJ, Comrade Tony Nwizi as the Director-General of the Corporation.

 

Addressing the Board, Governor Nwifuru said his dream for the station was to bring it at par with popular broadcast stations in the country with full digitized transmission, quality and dedicated personnel.

 

He however regretted that the dream so far, has not been achieved in spite of reasonable investment already made by his administration in enhancing the physical structures, environment and operational equipment of the stations.

 

He urged the committee to join hands with the Director-General, bring together their professional expertise to ensure the stations attain their desired status in the nation’s broadcast industry, stressing that the DG alone cannot do it.

 

Nwifuru said: “These appointments were necessitated by the redundancy of these areas, and also the neglect we have seen in these areas we’ve called you to serve.

 

“The standard I wanted that radio and television to be is not the standard I’m seeing it today.

 

“I told the DG when I pulled him out from where he was initially to that place that he was to go there, not only to rehabilitate the civil works, but to enhance that place professionally by taking it to the standard that it will be competing with Channels TV.

 

” What we want is for EBBC, our own television station to be competing with the national televisions.

 

“That is what I want, and that is why I am sending you there.

 

“I dont want anything less than that; that is the standard of the state.

 

“You must fight the old order to establish the new order.”

 

Laying the background earlier, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Uruchi Odo, said the event signifies another level of renewed covenant with the people of the state, an affirmation that service must need focus and leadership must produce impact.

 

He described the appointments as administrative wisdom on the part of the Governor and called on the appointees to lead with integrity, act with urgency and manage with excellence.

 

Also inaugurated at the same event were Chairmen and members of the State Hospitals Management Board, Ebonyi State Rural Access Road Authority and Ebonyi State Road Fund Board and Administration.

 

The Hospitals Management Board has as its Chairman, Mrs Monica Okeagu Ogada while the Rural Access Road Authority and the Road Fund Administration have Engr. Obinna Ibaki and Engr. Chinedu Uhuo respectively, as Director-Generals.

 

The Chairman of EBBC Board, Donatus Owo, in an acceptance speech on behalf of the other inaugurated Boards, assured the governor that they would work in conformity with his admonitions and prayed God to bless the Governor with more wisdom.