The Nigerian government has pledged to implement transformative reforms aimed at restoring the lost glories of two iconic institutions in the nation’s media landscape, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the plan during a visit to the two media houses in Kaduna on Friday.
He said the government would invest in improving the skills and professionalism of the staff, as well as upgrading the equipment and facilities of NTA and FRCN.
The newest equipment was installed 1980 -1982. This is not acceptable,” the Minister told newsmen at the end of his facility tour of NTA and FRCN on Friday in Kaduna.
“Technology is moving fast and we can’t stay behind. As we move forward, we must ensure they (NTA and FRCN) are in tandem with what is happening with the best technologies in the world.”
The Minister admitted that the two media houses were currently underperforming in an ever-competitive, creative, and technology-driven operating environment.
“To properly situate the NTA and FRCN as positive agents within the federal government agenda, we must appreciate the fact of their current underwhelming performance,” he said in an official statement.
“My coming here today in the company of the Directors General of the NTA and FRCN is to genuinely seek a realistic approach to addressing some of these challenges, which is at the forefront of our priorities. We shall explore all the available options to ensure that we restore the lost glory of the NTA and FRCN.”
The minister praised the management and staff of NTA and FRCN for their dedication and resilience, despite the challenges they face in their work.
He urged them to uphold the ethics and values of journalism, and to showcase the positive image and achievements of Nigeria to the world.
The Minister was accompanied by the Director-General of NTA, Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, the Director-General of FRCN, Dr Mohammed Bulama, and other senior officials of the ministry and the media houses.
Dominica Nwabufo
