By Ruot George
Celebrations have marked the reopening of Bentiu Radio 99.0 F.M in Unity State.
The station resumed broadcast recently after a seven-year lull.
Bentiu Radio 99.0 F.M was founded in 2008 and focussed on airing contents around the Revitalised Peace Agreement in Unity State.
It broadcasts on both F.M and MW frequencies and only went off air by the January 2014 conflict in South Sudan. Bentiu, the state’s capital that hosts the station, was severely affected by the conflict.
Speaking to Juba Echo on phone from, Bentiu, Deng Muon Liah, the Director General for the State Ministry of Information says event though the station is back on air, it would take a while before it resumes broadcast on its 558 KHz short wave channel.
Deng said the ministry appreciates the role played in the on-going peace process in the country.
“The ministry was given cable that connects the radio with the main hospital to have constant power for 24 hours,” he said.
The power that runs the radio station is now connected from Bentiu Teaching Hospital.
He urged the citizens to cooperate with the state government in information sharing to expedite development planning.
“This will help the citizens and the state government to disseminate the peace agreement and the constitutional making process in Unity State”
He said the ministry is doing everything it can with support from partners to make sure the radio station does not go off again. Bentiu Radio is the only state government owned station in the region.
Unity state had two radio stations before December 2013, including the Naath F.M [88.0] in Leer County operated by Internews and Bentiu Radio 99.0.
Currently Kondial 97.2 F.M, established by Internews as a humanitarian information service centre and the Radio Farmer are currently the other surviving privately owned radio stations in the state.
