October 7, 2021
By Aruna Kamara in Bo
The Chairman of Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), Abdulai Bangura has cautioned the Radio Station Managers and owners not to allow politicians to use the Radio to pass on hate messages that will tear the country apart.
He made this statement at the Civic Development Talk Community Radio Partnership Conference that was organized by National Council for Civic Education and Development (NaCCEED), which took place at the JF Kennedy Conference Hall in Bo last week.
While delivering a presentation on how community radio stations can promote political tolerance and non-violence in the electoral process, PPRC Chairman, Mr. Bangura appealed to the media houses to have a self –censorship to ensure that politicians do not use hate messages on the radio that has the potential to tear the country apart.
“Encourage messages that can build national cohesion and reconciliation in the country and staff of media houses should manage their prejudices. The media owe us a duty to keep us intact and must make sure that you are not misled by the politicians,’’ he said.
PPRC he said does not have enough regulatory powers but the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) has endorsed the fact there is a need to have more regulatory powers.
Mr. Bangura commended NaCCED for the civic and development talk community radio partnership that will help in the development of the country.
The Director of Media and Communications, Phillip Kargbo who represented the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission , delivered a presentation on how community radio stations can support the electoral process before, during and after elections, saying that community radio stations are important at grassroots level that can support electoral process as messages are passed through them.
He said that voter education and other electoral process are key and that the community radio stations should create a platform where messages on the electoral process should pass through to the general public.
The Community Radio, Mr. Kargbo noted is critical in preventing violence in the communities and encourage the station managers to continue supporting them on voter education as they cannot do it alone when the time comes.
The Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rev Jonathan Titus Williams who delivered his presentation on how community radio stations can support the delivery of the Medium Term national development Plan, called on the community radio to ensure that the people understand the medium term national development plan.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Swaray stressed on the need for radio stations to understand their functions as they are very key in the development of the country.
He said the government is interested in the peaceful state of the country, noting that the ruling government and other politicians are custodians of the public peace and that there is a need to work together to build a peaceful state.
Mr. Swaray said that some journalists are ill-informed and called on radio managers to be honest and must be reliable gate keepers.
He however commended the journalists for making fundamental contributions during the shocks including the COVID 19 Pandemic and promised that the Media investment conference will take place this year, and will start will start at regional level that will culminate into a national investment conference.
The Chairman of the National Council for Civic Education and Development, Kalilu Tutangi encouraged the station managers to allow their radio to be used to pass on civic education that will contribute to the development of the Radio, adding.
“Please be committed to the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) that was developed during the partnership conference”, He urged.
Umaru Fofanah from the BBC who chaired the opening ceremony also delivered a presentation on the relevance of Community Radio in Citizenship Education while Dr. Issac Massaquoi from the Mass Communications Department at Fourah Bay College facilitated the development of the MOU for NaCEED and their partner radio stations.