Listeners of the Kaduna Zonal Station of Radio Nigeria, under Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, have raised concerns after going gone off air for about two months.
BizPoint gathered that the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KAEDCO, has disconnected both broadcasting house, located along Yakubu Gowon way and Jaji transmitting station of the oldest radio station in northern Nigeria, allegedly over failure to settle power bills.
But, the situation did not sit well with the regular listeners of the FRCN kaduna national station, who expressed concern over the power disconnection, which render it completely off air over a prolonged period of time.
Some of the listeners who spoke with media men in Ikara, Zaria, Kaduna and Makarfi have expressed disappointment over the situation.
A listener, Musa Ibrahim Kofar-Doka said he is missing the station and called for concerted effort to address the situation.
He said the station has been playing a vital role in not only propagating government policies and programs but also in enlightening and educating the citizenry.
According to him, “it is unfortunate that a national radio station, as famous as FRCN Radio Nigeria Kaduna, to be allowed to remain in this situation.
“Authorities should treat Radio Nigeria as a national asset. Allowing it to be in this condition is unpatriotic,” he said.
Another concerned listener, Hassan Tashar-Yari calls on federal government to take decisive step aimed at rehabilitating what he described as “moribund station”.
According to him, the situation the station found itself in, is unfortunate, stressing that “this is the first time the station has been off air for a long period in about ten years”
While expressing sadness over the situation , Mal Hassan Tashar-Yari called on the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and other Northern elders to intervene to save the station from total collapse.
BizPoint recalled that about two months ago, the KAEDCO disconnected the zonal station from national grid in both Jaji and Kaduna broadcasting station, thereby grounding the station operations.
They also appealed to the federal government, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Agency , NOA, to take step to address the lingering problems of power supply for the attainment of set objectives for and for the development of the country.
Bizpoint