Online Reporter
GOVERNMENT says it will continue to support community radio stations to ensure their viability.
This came out during a visit to Avuxeni FM Community Radio Station in Chiredzi by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana yesterday.
Speaking to ZBC News at Avuxeni FM, Mr Mangwana noted the importance of transparency with regard to community radio stations’ financial matters in ensuring that the they fulfil their role of community development.
“The purpose of this visit was to harmonise the community and the governance group which we have succeeded in doing, I believe. We had a meeting with both members of the community and the governance group and charted a way forward, which included that they should be transparent around financial issues.
“Avuxeni is one of the lucky radio stations which is well supported by the business community, therefore there is a lot of money that moves around to support the station. The community believed that there were issues of misappropriation of funds.
“So we have agreed that there will be an annual general meeting and before that, they will use the station to make sure that they communicate about the governance of the station itself and I think because we dealt with the issues transparently in front of everyone. All the questions that had been raised and all the grievances were addressed. The community is well comforted and is happy,” he said.
Mr Mangwana also revealed that plans are underway to roll out more community radio stations in the shortest possible time.
“We are going to be rolling out a lot more because we do have the frequencies and we have done these community radio stations which are language based and we are going to go to communities of interest and of course religious communities, including areas like Mbire. There is no officially recognised language, but we believe as a drive of development, we should have a radio station there,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Government is set to commission Lieja FM in Hwange during this year’s World Radio Day commemorations.— ZBC News
