Bong County Senator and Chair on Autonomous Agencies at the Liberian Senate Dr. Henrique Flomo Tokpa has restored the hope of radio Zota, providing a 400 kilowatts equipment worth a little over US$5,000 to aid the institution.
The lone – community radio station in Zota District went off about four years ago, according to a report, after its transmitter got damaged.
Since the station went off, the people of Zota have had no means of attaining information on local happenings from their communities, a situation many people described as being in darkness.
But the Bong County Senator, following an appeal from local authorities of Zota, paid for an original Italian – made transmitter in an effort to recommence standard broadcast activities at the institution.
“After I became Senator, I decided to do a countywide tour to appreciate all of my people for voting for me in the 2018 by-election and on that tour, it was my decision to kill cows in every district that I go,” Dr. Tokpa recalls.
He says that appreciation continued in almost all the districts in Bong County; but when he planned the Zota appreciation program, the people there told him not to buy them cow.
Instead, he says they requested that the money be used to buy a transmitter for the only radio station in Zota, noting that he listened to them and did exactly what they requested. Dr. Tokpa continues that as a servant-leader, it was good that he listened to his people because they are his direct employers, saying “a leader who listens, never fails.”
The Former Cuttington University president says the media is a foremost contributing dynamic to every nation and as such, the need for community radio stations to be buttressed is very important.
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According to him, his quest to keep supporting community developments across Bong County remains unbending and he will always listen to the people of Zota and Bong County at large.
Dr. Tokpa then challenges the management of the station to help maintain the station and always be professional in their reportage.
“Don’t engage into negative journalism, blackmailing people is not good journalism but only sparks divisiveness and undermines the process of a state. Please verify all of your information and don’t let someone use your platform to insult or spread lies against others,” he urges the management.
According to Dr. Tokpa, he is a victim of falsehood and will not want journalists at Radio Zota to preach hate messages on their platform. Dr. Tokpa promised to set up a Board of Trustees that will ensure the full operation of the radio station in the best interest of the citizens.
Bong County Electoral District number four Representative Robert Flomo Womba extends commendations to Senator Tokpa for the gesture, saying he hopes that people who have been saying that Dr. Tokpa has abandoned Zota will be the ones to spread the message of his gesture. Making remakes, Zota District Commissioner Arthur Kpoleh describes Dr. Tokpa’s gesture as a dawning of a new day in their lives.—Edited by Winston W. Parley
