URA Radio launches 25th Anniversary

Bolgatanga, Feb 20, GNA - The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation (GBC-URA Radio), Mr. Tahiru Abdul-Razak Mohammed has reiterated URA Radio's continuous support for development in the Upper East Region.

Addressing staff and the general public at the forecourt of the station in Bolgatanga during the launch of the 25th anniversary celebration of GBC-URA Radio at the weekend, he commended all past and present directors, staff and stakeholders for the various roles they played to get the station to its current state.

URA Radio was established to facilitate the work of the Upper Region Agricultural Development Programme (URADEP), a World Bank sponsored project.

Consequently, URADEP established a training centre called the Institute of Field Communication and Agricultural Training (IFCAT) aimed at empowering its staff in the agriculture sector.

Staffs was thus trained in agricultural extension services, visual communication and other areas of radio operations and programming.

In other to communicate effectively with farmers at the grassroots, URADEP selected major dialects spoken in the then Upper Regions for broadcasting.

These included Grune, Dagaare, Kusal, Kasem, Buli and Sissali. Currently Dagare and Sissali have been transferred to radio Upper West as a result of the present political and administrative status of the two regions.

The station was later handed over to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and was officially commissioned by former President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings. Since then URA Radio has been operating as the first FM station in Ghana.

The Regional Director said despite the proliferation of Radio stations in the region, which has encouraged competitions in informing, educating and entertaining the people, URA Radio still prided itself as the calming voice. “As a public broadcasting station, URA Radio emphasis is always on unity, peace and development.” He added

Mr Mohammed said as part of activities marking the 25 anniversary celebration, the station would embark on an out broadcasting tour aimed at engaging the people and also helping the station to improve upon its programmes.

He appealed to local based radio stations to make the development of the region a topmost priority and said radio had the power to change the lives of the people.

The Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni, whose speech was read for her, appealed to management and staff of the station to use the medium to educate the public to conduct themselves well before, during and after the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

She said radio, when used positively; it could educate and mobilize people to channel their energies positively to improve upon their circumstances and noted that it could also misdirect people.

Mrs Lucy cited the Rwanda Genocide and the instability in Cote d'Ivoire as countries which are suffering as a result of the negative use of radio.

She challenged staff of the station to be innovative so as to compete with other radio stations in and outside the region.

The occasion was on the theme “URA Radio at 25: Tool for promoting Peace and Development”.

It was marked with a float through the principal streets in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

GNA