Former commissioner donates N35m worth of radio station to UNIZIK

Former Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in Anambra State, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna, has donated a brand new radio station worth over N35 million to the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.

Prof. Okunna, stated that the radio station project costs over N35 million of equipped with control room, studio and other facilities for transmission, in addition to an adjoining hall of about 300-seater capacity.

Okunna, who doubles as Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences of the institution, stressed that she was moved to build the radio station (UNIZIK 94.1FM) as a legacy she would leave behind to encourage lecturers and students progress with their teaching and learning activities in the Department of Mass Communication.

Former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, while commissioning the project, said that qualitative information dissemination remains one of the key tools to societal development.

Obi, who praised his former commissioner for her generosity, pointed out that an informed society is better positioned to make informed choices capable of uplifting the people. Obi, however, warned that the country would experience harder times ahead, as things were not getting better.

According to him, Nigeria spent over 50 percent on debt servicing, and that government borrows and spends more than it earns for capital vote, just as he called on governments to cut expenses on governance.

Earlier, Chairman on the occasion, Oseloka Obaze, noted that the station would showcase UNIZIK and offer the community the opportunity to air their view on issues that concern them.

He counseled that UNIZIK FM station should take the lead in presenting quality news and programmes to the public, but should avoid disseminating what he called fake news, which serves no good purpose.

The Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, who commended Prof. Chinyere Okunna for leaving such a legacy behind, also called on friends and admirers of the institution to contribute their own quota for the development of the university.

He further stated that the Governing Council of the institution has approved the establishment of Institute of Diplomacy and Governance Centre for research on issues of governance.