By Ragan M Conteh
The ruling party’s MP, Hon Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has claimed that the state broadcaster, SLBC is left with nothing.
He made this disclosure on Thursday 7th March 2024.
At the approval of Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara as director general of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting cooperation (SLBC),
Hon Tawa said presidential appointees would always speak on changing the narrative at their offices but sometimes they ended up failing.
The MP asked the information ministry to allow SLBC “to thrive independently.”
” We must depoliticize SLBC to have the best outfit,” Tawa said.
“The old Njala ( in the south in Bo district) building is there but SLBC is still squatting at the old building.”
Hon Tawa claimed that there is nothing to be inherited at the SLBC, adding that management should generate money by stopping counter payments of money loaned.
He said the chairman of the committee should know what is collected and what is spent, adding that SLBC must be allowed to operate freely.
Hon Tawa Conteh added that the SLBC board must be allowed to work.
He urged the new director general to look keenly into the finances of the SLBC.
In his submission, an MP of the governing party, SLPP from Pujehun district, Hon Dickson Rogers, said: “SLBC’s budget is not enough to address the cooperation needs.”
The opposition politician in parliament, Hon Abdul Kargbo, cautioned the presidential appointees to avoid listening to those who are in the habit of whispering.
“Do we pay SLBC for their coverage of parliament? ”he asked
“Many ministries and agencies are paying AYV, Star TV airtime but the state broadcaster often doesn’t get a dime.”
“We need to empower SLBC, it is our own, we should not allow private institutions to always take the lead over our national broadcaster,” he admonished.