Politico staff writer
Managers of community radio stations and some commercial broadcasters have agreed to work closely with the National Council for Civic Education and Development NaCCED to significantly boost their civic education efforts.
According to a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the end of a day’s engagement in Bo, the station managers committed themselves to producing and “broadcast programs based on thematic issues within the mandate of NaCCED on issues not limited to Effective Citizenship, National Cohesion and Inclusive development for at least one hour a week.
They also signed up to make “Civic Education for National Development an integral part of daily programming” and to “actively participate in network programming organized by NaCCED and its partners at least once a month.
On their side, the NaCCED boss, Kalilu Totangi committed his organization to providing at least one training session in civic education content development every year and to intervene with local and international institutions to secure equipment for all the signatory organizations.
He said under the memorandum NaCCED would provide “basic running cost to the tune of “two million Leones a quarter to all the partner radio stations". The managers immediately received the money for the first quarter.
Addressing the meeting earlier, the chairman of the Political Parties Registration Commission, (PPRC) Abdulai M. Bangura called on the managers of community radio stations to use their stations to regulate the “peddlers of hate and divisive politics.” He said the managers should always be careful with people coming to their stations to make statements that are “unhelpful, in terms of national cohesion…don’t allow your radio stations to be used in this way”.
He said when his commission gets the necessary powers its regulatory hand would be strengthened and urged the community radio managers not “to allow politicians to tear this country apart. You owe a duty to this nation”.
Keynote speaker, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, Information and Communications minister, said the government has a responsibility to ensure a “peaceful, stable and tranquil Sierra Leone '' at all times and that “cannot be achieved without a free and responsible media.'' He urged the community radio managers to be “honest and reliable newsmakers''.
He said President Bio remains committed to his pledge to support community radio stations as a sign of goodwill towards that “vital sector of the media”.
Copyright © Politico Online (06/10/21)
