DG FRCN Seeks Upward Review Of Allocation

By Oduyemi Odumade

The Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Dr Muhammad Bulama has urged the House of Representatives to review upward the 2024 capital allocation of the corporation from 200 million naira to 4 Billion naira.

Dr Bulama made the call when he appeared before the house committee on Information and National Orientation for the 2024 budget defense excercise.

This according to him, would enable the corporation to execute its mandate of informing, educating and enlightening Nigerians on government policies and programmes efficiently.

He lamented that the corporation is bedeviled with obsolete equipment, which affects staff’s morale.

” Radio Nigeria is faced with challenges of obsolete and dilapidated broadcast equipment and facilities occasioned by inadequate funding. The shortwave and medium wave transmitters are moribund, while the FM transmitters at zonal and FM stations are not optimally functioning.” he said

The DG also stressed the need to improve the welfare of the corporation’s 5,104 staff, spread across the country.

Dr Bulama explained that in the 2024 budget proposal, the sum of over 10.16 billion naira is for personnel cost based on the approved consolidated salary structure template provided by the budget office of the corporation, while capital is over 211 million naira.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Olusola Fatoba, directed the DG to provide the committee with list of all its stations nationwide, as well as other challenges bedeviling the corporation for further legislative action.

Mr Fatoba stated that the committee is seeking recommendations from heads of agencies to enhance their performance.

Edited By Grace Namiji