Date: 2019-05-21

The Kwara government says its three media houses - Radio Kwara, Kwara Television and the Herald Newspaper -have not collapsed.

A statement issued on Monday in Ilorin by Muideen Akorede, the Sole Administrator of the three media houses, said they were only facing operational problems due to financial challenges confronting the government.

Mr Akorede, who also is the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, however, said the government had released N11.3 million to the three media houses alongside the payment of April salaries to their workers.

"Government has paid their April salaries and as well released N11.3m as running cost for the month while efforts are being made to pay the March salary which is still outstanding across the three media houses," he said.

While describing the current challenges facing the government outfits as unfortunate, the governor’s aide stated that the Ahmed administration commenced the repositioning of the media houses in 2016 based on its commitment to making them competitive and more fit to perform their statutory functions.

Mr Akorede said a total of N482 million was approved and released in modules between 2016 and 2018 for the repositioning of the media houses.

"The Herald now has a 17-office new corporate office which is ready for occupation having furnished it with computers and other operational tools.

"On Kwara State Television, the station is one of the few in the country that has completed the Digital Switch Over (DSO) and now boasts of a digital production chain, editing suites and two live and production studios.

"With regard to Midland FM, the station has been provided with digital studio consoles and a brand new transmitter and other tools while its premises have been renovated," said the governor's aide.

He added that Radio Kwara AM was also provided with a new digital studio console which was awaiting installation while transmitter parts were also provided for the station’s transmitter.

Mr Akorede admitted that in spite of the provision of running cost to the station, both Midland FM and Radio Kwara were currently off air due to faulty parts while efforts were being made by the government to procure replacement parts in order to restore their operations.

(NAN)