The Minister of Information and National, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, stated this during his address to the staff of the two stations on Friday in Kaduna when he paid a working visit.
According to him, both institutions have fostered Nigeria’s unity, peaceful coexistence, religious harmony, democracy, civic consciousness, industry and agriculture.
They have also boosted national awareness, social mobilisation, enlightenment, among several achievements in post-independent Nigeria.
“I am aware of the human and material challenges of the FRCN, Kaduna, and the NTA, especially poor working tools, outdated infrastructure, poorly motivated workforce, low competitive content, among others.
“My coming here today, in the company of the Directors General of the NTA and FRCN, is to genuinely seek a realistic approach to addressing some of these challenges, which is at the forefront of our priorities.
“We shall explore all the available options to ensure that we restore the lost glory of the NTA and FRCN.
“The case of the FRCN at national and state levels, is even more dire, particularly here at the Radio Nigeria, Kaduna, a once prestigious bastion of information that has produced innumerable broadcast icons.
“Indeed, Radio Nigeria Kaduna needs urgent resuscitation. We will surely act with urgency in this rescue mission.
“President Bola Tinubu carefully appointed all heads of parastatals in the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to help him succeed in this arduous task of rebuilding Nigeria,” he said.
He added that rebuilding the communication outfits and all other tasks would be achieved through Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is anchored on eight cardinal missions.
The missions include food security, poverty eradication, growth, job creation, access to capital, inclusion, rule of law and fighting corruption, he stated.
The minister said he is available to explore opportunities that would provide the necessary wherewithal to ensure that NTA and FRCN are equipped with modern technology and quality staff to maximise their potential.
“We shall also make welfare a priority so that the workers shall put in their best, he said.
According to him, government will reward hardworking members of staff who toil day and night to inform, educate and entertain the public.
“The government is aware of your invaluable contribution to nation-building amidst great challenges
“Together, we will not only address the current issues, but also build a foundation for a more robust and technologically advanced future for the NTA and FRCN,” Idris said
Also speaking, the Director-General of FRCN, Dr Mohammed Bulama, said the visit by the minister is a sign of good things to come to the stations.
He said he was not surprised at the level of decay of facilities in FRCN.
“As a patriotic Nigerian, I know that something is fundamentally wrong with NTA, FRCN and others.
“The symbolism of this visit cannot be over-emphasised. God willing, all our stations and facilities will get the attention of the Ministry.”
Similarly, the Director-General of NTA, Malam Salihu Dembos, commended the minister’s insistence on coming over to see things for himself so as to work toward finding solutions to the issues.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that some workers of the two organisations later narrated their challenges which range from service interruptions, dearth of modern facilities, lack of training, poor welfare, and others. (NAN)
