South Sudan Lakes state opens Rumbek FM radio

By Manyang Mayom

March 21, 2007 (RUMBEK) — The Lakes State opened officially last week Radio Rumbek FM 98. This station comes as first great achievement of the local authorities in the state in the media field.

The governor and the ministers of the Lakes state attended the inauguration of Radio Rumbek FM 98 on Tuesday March 20. The radio was installed on the 3rd/feb/2007 and went on air the following morning.

During the 21 year civil war, “Southern Sudan has never enjoyed an institutionalized information and a Government official communications media so as to cover the whole boundaries of the Sudan.”

Lakes State has been faced “with series of challenges on how to disseminate relevant information to state stakeholders since it came to existence in November 2005 a time when the governments of Southern Sudan and the states governments were set up as a part of (CPA) implementation;” said the state minister of information, Adak Costa Mapuor.

In Lakes State plans for 2006, the ministry of information targeted to start with the availability of information equipments of full sound system for public address and mobilization, FM Radio for Mass media, renovation of Rumbek TV, establishment of state news paper and establishment if internet communication system.

Despite the luck of means the state managed to train twenty news report writers, and to recruit some staff for each directorate of information, culture, radio, telecommunication and youth –sport.

The state intends to develop the information directorate but faces several challenges, mainly material but also luck of qualified staff. The state plans to promote local press and media with the support of Juba and the international institutions.

(ST)