By Rotimi Odofin
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has promised to expand the frontier for civic engagement by enhancing community broadcasting in the state.
In his message to the people of the state in commemoration of this year’s World Radio Day, the Governor acknowledged the importance of radio as a veritable channel for promoting understanding and peaceful coexistence in any society.
While acknowledging the vital role of radio in the sustenance of democratic governance around the world, Governor Ododo assured the people of the state of his commitment to broaden engagement with stakeholders by encouraging the establishment of more community radio stations and supporting existing ones to thrive in the state.
According to the Governor: “this year’s celebration of 100 years of radio broadcasting around the world marks a significant milestone of how radio has been connecting people around the world and promoting understanding among diverse groups in the interest of peace and development of humanity.
The theme for this year’s celebration which is, ‘Radio: A century informing, entertaining and educating,’ underlines the pivotal role of radio as a means of promoting democratic governance through information dissemination that bridges the gap between government and the people and it is gratifying that this phonemenon has endured for over 100 years in our history.
I join millions of radio listeners all over the world to celebrate the remarkable success of all radio stations in Nigeria and the practitioners especially in Kogi State who continue to defy challenges by keeping our people informed about the activities of government while also highlighting the needs and aspirations of our people in all corners of the state.”
He assured that the Kogi state government under his leadership will continue to provide the enabling environment for broadcasting and other businesses to thrive in all parts of the state.
The World Radio Day is an initiative of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to commemorate the medium’s extensive virtues and continuing potency to reach its audience despite competition from digital platforms, generational divides, censorship, and economic hardships.