FEATURE

BY the end of the second week of May 2008, the 100 kilowatts Medium Wave Transmitter of the Hausa Service of Radio Nigeria, Kaduna would be decommissioned after dedicated service for about 47 years.

The occasion was historic in view of the fact that the decommissioning will just be followed very closely with the commissioning of 200 kilowatts transmitter in place of the former one. The gesture, which was courtesy of a grant by the Japanese Government through a bilateral arrangement with the Federal Government, became necessary due to the whittling down of the signals of the former transmitter, whose power reduced to 45 kilowatts and the need to switch from analogue to digital technology to save cost and promote clearer output. Thus, the new transmitter when installed will cover the entire West and Central Africa to serve as a means of educating, entertaining and informing the people of the region, particular the Hausa listeners.

In the face of numerous challenges confronting the people of Africa, which include poverty, poor education, disease, hunger, crime, unemployment and the race to beat time in attaining the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, FRCN Kaduna will have the onerous task of enlightening the people to surmount those challenges for socio-economic development of Africa. With the benefit of hindsight, the former 100 kilowatts Medium Wave transmitter of the Hausa Service did a lot towards that direction, in addition to raising the religious and political consciousness of its listeners who cut across Nigeria and beyond.

However, because of the enviable position of Nigeria in Africa, an instrument such as the 200 kilowatts Medium Wave transmitter is timely, to provide opportunity to further play the role of ensuring peace and stability on the continent and entrench good governance, transparency and carry out the crusade against corruption effectively. Whatever the concept behind an idea, if people are not aware of their civic responsibilities, it becomes futile. The people of Africa should now consider FRCN Kaduna as a platform to participate in governance and the democratic process of their respective countries, through contribution, audience participation and hosts of other carefully designed programmes.

The transmitter alone could not do the magic if it is not being driven by vision and logic. Already, the recommendations of the Mohammed Ibrahim Presidential Committee are on the table of His Excellency, President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, who saw the necessity to commission the committee to proffer ways to reviving one of the legacies of our founding fathers, through the replacement of obsolete equipment, boosting of staff morale, provision of shortwave transmitters and total overhaul of the corporation. And it was such vision also which has been carried on by the Zonal Director of FRCN, Kaduna National Station, Malam Ladan Salihu, to ensure that the station takes its leading position in the broadcast industry in Nigeria.

Malam Ladan Salihu has since automated the entire operations of the station, created the conducive environment for work to achieve excellence, staff development, provision of working tools and other initiatives. As an interim measure to keep the millions of listeners glued to the station, a new Hausa FM station was established, which will be complemented with continuous broadcast on the shortwave transmitter.

At the Jaji transmission station where the new 200 kilowatts transmitter will be installed, civil work, which include the construction of tiled hall to accommodate the transmitter, power arrangement and the sinking of borehole were carried out. Though the transmitter is coming along with all the components and spare parts, maintenance will be conducted every 10 years while the engineers and technicians of the station will be further trained in Tokyo, Japan on the digital transmitter to manage it efficiently.

By January 2009, calibration test will be conducted on the transmitter and the commissioning proper takes place in March 2009 God willing. And on that day a new chapter in the history of broadcasting not only in Nigeria but the entire African continent win be opened.

MUTAH contributes from FRCN, Kaduna.
 

©2005 New Nigerian Newspapers Limited.