By Randall George | GNN Legislative Reporter|
Realizing the importance and value of communicating within the communities through radio and television as tools for humanitarian communication, the construction of Ahteenah House, the headquarters of Ahteenah Radio and Television, has formally begun in Barclayville Grand Kru County.
The construction begins on August 1 and is expected to be formally dedicated in March 2022 in Grand Kru’s Capital, Barclayville.
According to Mr. Chris Joboe, the resident District Coordinator in the Office of the Deputy Speaker and Grand Kru County District #2 Representative, the construction of the Ahteenah House, has an estimated timeframe of six months.
He asserted that though the project will add value to media diversity in the county and infrastructure development to Grand Kru County, it also provides means where residents will have access to information in abundance.
Mr. Joboe sees community radio as a pervasive medium and an essential part of broadcasting in the geographical landscape of the county.
With the addition of the social media component, Joboe said radio will continue to provide diversity for listeners and to assure the people in the communities that they are not alone and also strengthen ties and build awareness of common values, challenges, and solutions within the community.
He pointed out that the recently installed 2,000w transmitter, 4-bay antenna, and some broadcasting technologies were brought into the country from the USA by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of Board Deputy Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa had upgraded the station.
“The upgrading will be fully complete in February or March when the station relocates from a rented building to her headquarters, ” Joe stated.
He furthered that since 2019, Ahteenah Radio has created jobs, been helping to build a sense of community, promotes economic growth, and preserves local culture and traditions.
The District Coordinator disclosed local-based construction firm, CR- Construction Company Incorporated. (CR-CC Inc.) won the bid for the construction and the resident engineer is Mr. Celsius J. Jobo.
According to the engineer, the architectural designs of the Ahteenah House will be the embodiment of high-tech, but a simple cutting-edge culture of high public concern.
Besides the Radio and Television, the Ahteenah House will also be the headquarters of the Ahteenah Development Incorporation (ADI), a privately owned company by Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa.
The ADI, over the years, has been providing scholarships to hundreds of Grand Kru students, and students from other counties; including microloans to market women, supporting campaigns against the ills in the society, specifically on rape and prevention of diseases (sicknesses) among others.
On the facebook page on Saturday, the Deputy Speaker wrote: “We bought an ideal parcel of land in Barclayville, Grand Kru County and broke grounds for the construction of AHTEENAH HOUSE.”
He added: “We have signed the contract with a local construction firm, CR- Construction Company Incorporated (CR-CC Inc.) to build the US$50,000 Ahteenah House to proudly accommodate Ahteenah Radio 102.5FM/TV.
We hope to dedicate the Green-yellow-and-white building on Liberia’s first President 213th birthday, March 15, 2022.#TheLordisourstrength.”
The Ahteenah House will have the following: Two studio rooms, Two offices, One training/meeting room, One kitchen, One booth (newsroom), One storeroom, One reception hall, One flower, One porch, One reception hall, and two bathrooms.
Mr. Eldred Thomas is the current Station Manager of Ahteenah Radio, with a staff of 12.
Mr. Thomas has rich experience spanning over 10 years in broadcasting journalism. Eldred, formerly served at Joy FM, Red Power FM, Voice FM, Power FM/TV, FARBRIC, and Radio Veritas respectively.
Comments are closed.