RUNDU - The NBC radio network tower stationed at Shamvura village in Ndiyona Constituency in Kavango East has still not been fixed, 18 months after it got damaged.
Last month, Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, the boardcaster’s spokesperson said the NBC has already awarded the contract to repair the tower and it would soon be fixed. “It’s in a process of being repaired,” said Karuaihe-Upi in an interview with New Era about a month ago.
Since the tower got damaged in March last year, communities who benefited from it through radio information, news and programmes have endured a broadcast blackout.
Residents in the area are still frustrated and desperate for its restoration as they relied on the national broadcaster’s airwaves to get informed on what is happening around the country.
The tower used to provide frequencies from Ndonga Linena village in Ndonga Linena Constituency to Ndiyona Constituency all the way to Tjova village in Mukwe Constituency.
It also benefited some villages in the hinterland of the mentioned constituencies.
Residents informed New Era several times that they have a serious problem getting radio reception. Sometimes they would connect a long wire and raise it with a long pole and if lucky they get a network, but they described the situation as a crisis.
“We are not getting informed of whatever is happening around the country. This has been going on for long. Ever since the NBC radio reception tower fell down, we have not received radio reception and this is really a problem to us because information is important and we rely on radio news and public service announcements to be informed,” said Imgard Likuwa, 37, from Shinyungwe village in Ndiyona Constituency.
Radio helps take communication into areas without or with poor cellphone services, “We rely mainly on radio for credible and factual information, if it can be fixed it would really help us in these rural areas that are affected,” said one affected community member recently. New Era could not get comments from NBC to get clarity on the delay before going to print.