Monrovia, March 21 (LINA) – Nimba County Superintendent D. Dorr Cooper has urged media institutions in the county to promote peace and unity amongst the citizens through their programs.
According to him, media institutions in the county need to serve as « wagons of peace » and not allow themselves to be used by politicians to instigate confusion in the county.
Speaking recently in Sanniquellie, Cooper noted that the purpose of establishing community radio stations across in the country is to help promote peace and unity that would foster harmonious co-existence and at the same time attract investors.
« What I think media institutions should be doing is to promote peace, and unity that will attract more investors to the county, » Cooper said.
He observed that the media plays « a very crucial role » in the maintenance of peace and stability in any nation and, as such, Nimba County, which is blessed to have over 12 functional community radio stations, should be great in terms of how citizens conduct themselves, adding that « the media has the power to influence the way citizens think. »
He noted that stories on the many development initiatives in the county are not being told by local radio stations, something that has the propensity to make citizens think that their leaders are not working to better their lives.
« For example, we are constructing bridges, schools, chief compounds across the county, but the media here is not informing our people.
This will certainly make them to feel that we don’t care for them, » Cooper stressed.
According to him, community radio stations in the county are being used by politicians and others to castigate each other and bring the county to public disrepute, instead of being used to provide the needed information to citizens who should be the direct beneficiaries of their services.
Cooper observed that the county administration is willing to work with local media institutions to build their capacities, but stated that it can only be done when community radios redefine their role in the county for the positive.
According to Superintendent Cooper, at every County Council Sitting, a total of US$30,000 is allotted to community radio stations through their organization, Nimba Community Radio Association (NICORA) to enable media outlets improve their capacity.
LINA SKZ/TSS/PTK
