-LBS Workers Union alarms over breakdown of transmission in rural Liberia
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkoliejr92@gmail.com
Monrovia– As officials of the CDC government invest all their time from the Liberian capital on tirade against government’s critics on Facebook and other Social Media platforms, the state-owned broadcast outlet remains unheard in much of rural Liberia.
In a country where radio is still the king, studies have shown that the bulk of the population, especially those outside Monrovia rely almost exclusively on radio about the governance process. And in a situation where most of the Monrovia-based private-run commercial radio stations’ signal don’t penetrate in rural Liberia, the national radio station has several outstation facilities to do that.
But in recent times, reports say most of these facilities are down due to lack of fuel and other things.
Now, the Leadership of the Liberia Broadcasting System Workers’ Union (LIBSWU) says it is worried over the constant non – operational of LBS Sub – stations in some parts of Liberia.
The Leadership said for the past six months the System’s seven sub – stations in Bong, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Lofa, Sinoe, Maryland and Grand Gedeh Counties have been off which does not augur well for the State-run Broadcast Entity.
According to LIBSWU’s President G. Moses K. Dorbor, the constant non – operation of the sub – stations are denying the rural population of the country the needed information about their government functionaries and policies made in their interest.
“The constant non – operation of LBS sub – stations around the country is a gross violation of rural Liberians basic fundamental rights to information, as it is their taxes that are helping to run the station,”, the LBS workers President asserted.
In a release issued Wednesday, Mr. Dorbor called on relevant government ministries and agencies responsible for allotting funding to LBS to do so for the sub – stations of the entity to begin immediate operations, especially as the Liberian Chief Executive will be addressing the nation on Monday, January 28, 2019.
Mr. Dorbor: “It is more worrisome especially where Liberians have a week from now to listen to the State of Nation Address by President George Manneh Weah.
He stated that LBS is a fulcrum of providing Liberians and foreign residents with the most accurate and factual information as it promulgates government’s policies to the people.
The LIBSWU President indicated that as a result of the non – operation of LBS sub – stations, Liberians mainly in rural Liberia were denied information from the just ended National County Meet activities held among the eight contenders at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, Montserrado County.
The Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) is established with the sole mandate to promulgate and disseminate government policies through its news programs, education and entertainment.