By; Sani Aliyu, Zaria.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information and Home Affairs of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mr. Nuhu Goroh Shadalafiya has said about N2.9 billion has been earmarked for the Digitalisation of state-owned Radio and Television stations; Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC).
Goroh-Sahadalafiya spoke shortly after he led members of his committee on an oversight visit to Queen FM, Zaria, a substation of Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC).
He said the monetary provision was made in the 2016 budget in order to meet up with the present global communication standard.
“We have gone round the sub-station and what we have seen here are old equipments and dilapidated. I want to assure you that there is going to be a serious turnaround in no distance time.
“We have made some budgetary provision of over N1.9 billion for the digitalisation of Kaduna State Media Corporation Radio and Television stations to meet up the present global challenges,”
According to him, Queen FM Zaria would also benefit from the said allocation since it remained a property of KSMC.
On the Artists staff who spent over 10-15 years, the Lawmaker said restructuring of the stations was ongoing, assuring that there would be employment where capable and experienced hands would be employ.
“The place is understaff, there is going to be employment, we have already placed advertisement on restructuring the whole place covering both manpower, structures and equipment”.
The Committee Chairman was deeply touched with what they have seen at the Queen FM, “all my colleagues felt it and that influenced us to pledge support to the Station Manger with a new set of computers so that he can have a feeling of the assembly”.
Earlier, in his welcome address the Manger, Queen FM, Alhaji Sabo Suleiman told the legislators that the station solely depended on diesel for its transmission due to irregular power supply.
“We alternate our transmission due to power inconsistencies. We transmit from 7:00a.m.-12:00p.m for morning session, 4:00-6:00p.m. for evening and 7:30-10:00p.m. for night session,” he said.
The Manager enumerated some constraints of the station to include; old generating set, shortage of manpower and inadequate resources among others.
