The Benue State government has signed a contract worth N149.3 million with Knicks Engineering LTD for the procurement of a 20 kilowatts FM radio transmitter for Radio Benue, Makurdi.
The permanent secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Beatrice Tsavmbu, while signing the contract agreement on behalf of the ministry said the new transmitter has the capacity to capture the whole state and its environs.
The director general of Radio Benue, Dr Charles Iornumbe who commended Governor Samuel Ortom for the gesture, said it had been the desire of the governor to install a new transmitter for the station which he said would reposition it for better performance.
He acknowledged the zeal which the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has for the procurement, and expressed the hope that when installed, Benue people would get the best from the station.
He said the management of Radio Benue under his watch had already extended transmission hours from 9pm to midnight, pointing out that the station would justify the confidence reposed in it under his leadership.
The chief of staff, Dr Tivlumun Nyitse in whose office the agreement was signed and witnessed by the Head of Service, Mrs Veronica Onyeke, commended the governor for the approval to procure the transmitter, saying as a media practitioner, he was aware of the benefits.
“I am not just commending the governor for his steadfastness in trying to ensure that Radio Benue is not deprived of its functional role of informing the people about government programmes.
“We are in the era of information explosion and Benue cannot be seen to be a bystander in this process. And without a functional state radio there is a missing gap between the people and the government.”
The managing director, Knicks Engineering Ltd, Engr. Chiedozie Idoko, said the transmitter came with UPS and has a digital studio.
“The contract provides that it should be executed within three months but we hope to deliver the job before that time, if mobilized,” he said.
Our correspondent gathered that the former transmitter is only 10 kilowatts and could not even cover the whole of MÃ kurdi, the state capital.
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