By Sirnoh Karneh, Grand Cape Mount County Correspondent
ROBERTSPORT, June 10 (LINA) – The Management of Radio Cape Mount in Western Liberia has shut down the station due to lack of support from the county authority.
The decision was reached on June 6, after the board gave the manager the authority to shut down operations.
Radio Cape Mount is the Grand Cape Mount County public broadcaster
According to the manager of the radio, Mr. Andrew Massaley, the station has been operating for the past three years without allotment from the County Development Fund, which is its main source of funding.
Speaking to the Liberia News Agency recently, Mr. Massalay intimated that « the county should be giving us at least ten thousand United States dollars annually to manage the station, but it has not been forthcoming. »
Massaley also said since he took over as Station Manager of Radio Cape Mount, only two times he has received money from the County Development Fund, noting that even that was three years ago.
He noted that the station has been running on credit of late.
« The management had to stoop low by crediting fuel from citizens of the county just to remain on the air, something the management could not continue doing, » he said.
According to Massaley, the decision to shut down the station had been postponed several times.
In early May, the station through its manager placed a notice that they would have shut down transmission on May 19, 2018, however, the station continued to operate beyond the May 19, 2018 deadline.
On why the station continued to operate beyond the May 19 deadline, Massaley explained that « Senator Dargoseh, who is Grand Cape Mount County Legislative Caucus Chair, has been the only source of support for the station for a period of past time. »
According to him, Senator Dargoseh was the reason why the station continued broadcasting beyond the May 19, deadline.
The Station Manager said Senator Dargoseh advised him personally not to shut down the station, and that he should wait for him to return from the United States.
« Unfortunately, Senator Dargoseh had some changes in his travel plan that led to him not returning up to now, » the station manager said.
Radio Cape Mount is Grand Cape Mount County-owned public broadcaster.
It was established to inform the citizens of Western Liberia on the day-to-day happenings in Cape Mount and Liberia in general.
Radio Cape Mount covers Cape Mount, Bomi and Gbarpolu counties and is also received in neighboring Sierra Leone.
LINA SK/TSS/PTK
