Alhaji Issahaque Salia, Upper West Regional Minister, on Thursday expressed surprise that despite the numerous challenges facing the management and staff of the Upper West Radio, it was able to broadcast appropriate news and programmes to the people. The Upper West Radio, a subsidiary of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), has challenges with office and residential accommodation and even operates on a disputed piece of land. Members of staff of the Radio Station have make-shift offices under Mango trees where they record and produce programmes. They encounter ridicule from intruders while criminals seek their lives and property. Alhaji Salia was interacting with management and staff of the Upper West Radio as part of his familiarisation visit to the facility to find out how it was operating and to learn of their difficulties. He said it was not good for critical workers such as broadcasters to sit under mango trees to carry out their official duties due to inadequate office accommodation. Alhaji Salia added that he was touched by the conditions under which the staff were working and promised to address some of the challenges. “I will pay attention to the provision of the basic needs of the Radio Station to enable it to provide accurate information on politics, health, agriculture, sanitation and other relevant government policies and programmes to the people”. Mr Abubakari Alhassan, Upper West Regional Director GBC, who conducted Alhaji Salia round the various units of the Corporation, said the station was committed to sensitising the public on government policies and programmes. Its other functions, he said, included the designing of local content programmes on relevant and specific areas to educate the people. Mr Alhassan, however, mentioned inadequate office accommodation as a major hindrance to quality delivery which needed to be addressed immediately. Residential accommodation was also a challenge to staff of the station, he remarked, lamenting that work on a security fence for the station had ran into difficulties following disagreement between the land owners and management. The Regional Director said while GBC had documents to back its claim to the piece of land, the land owners on the other hand had no documents but were disputing that Mr Alhassan told the Regional Minister the case was being handled by the Regional Security Council. He appealed to him to intervene to find an amicable settlement. At Radio Progress, Alhaji Salia was happy that the station had provided an alternative to the people of the region. He said: “Your station has really helped provide opportunities for varied news in the region” and urged management and staff of the station not rest on their oars. Mr Lawrence Naaikuur, a member of Board of Directors of the Community based Radio Station, said it was dedicated to supporting the development of the region. He said the station had therefore opened its doors to all development partners to collaborate with it to push the development of the region forward. Source: GNA