Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has commissioned the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA station in Gashua, Bade Local Government of Yobe State.
This was just as he pledged to provide a bus, a Toyota salon car, an Outside Broadcasting, OB van, and to undertake the furnishing of the station’s building to ensure efficient service delivery and facilitate smooth operations.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Special Assistant on Press to the Senate President, Ezrel Tabiowo, the newly commissioned station is part of efforts by NTA to digitalize community television across states of the federation.
Lawan, who facilitated the project, expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for giving expeditious approval, and ensuring the timely release of funds for its implementation.
He informed that the project which was initially envisioned in 1991/1992, was finally realized 20 years later under President Buhari’s administration.
The Senate President lauded the efforts of the Governor Mai Mala Buni administration for partnering the federal government towards ensuring the successful completion of the project.
He noted that the presence of the NTA in Gashua would provide the avenue for government to know the challenges of the people through their reactions and feedbacks on initiated projects and programmes.
According to him, the transmission of cultural programmes would create an avenue for other parts of the country to be educated on the culture, lifestyle and traditions of the people of Yobe State.
“The NTA will provide the opportunity for the people to have their responses, reactions and feedbacks on the various projects, programmes of the Federal government and even the state government.
“This is an avenue or a partnership between the government and the people.
“What is crucial for us always as a people is to weave our diversity into our strength. The unity of nigeria is not negotiable.
“Nigeria must continue to remain united and, therefore, there’s need for understanding of the cultures, lives and livelihoods of the various parts of the country, so that when we relate, we know who we are, where we are coming from, and our diversity will be better understood”, Lawan said.
He added that government institutions such as the Federal University of Gashua would benefit tremendously from the activities of the Nigerian Television Authority.
On his part, the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Alhaji Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, tasked members of Gashua community to ensure the protection of all infrastructures belonging to the Nigerian Television Authority as well as secure the lives of staff working at the station.
Earlier, the Senate President took a tour of some projects in Bade Local Government Area of the state.
Among projects inspected during the tour are the construction of the Government Secondary School, Gashua, and the construction of a medical centre and male hostel at the Federal University of Gashua.
