VOICE OF AFRICA RADIO NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Judge J · (#1 (**permalink**))

VOICE OF AFRICA RADIO NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

(Taken from the African Voice Newspaper dated 30[suP]th[/suP] March 2007)

Greetings to Africans and the London community! Voice of Africa Radio wishes to inform you of the difficulties its going through as regards the launch of the FM dial.

As you are aware VOAR was awarded a licence by OFCOM on the 16[suP]th[/suP] February 2006. Seven months before the licence was awarded, VOAR had been communicating with the Newham Council to allocate a tower block to mount our transmission equipment. This became a tug of war, as our request was passed from one council official department to another.

After several attempts, we finally located the official in charge. It was not until August 11 2006, before we were taken to the site for observations

Later we submitted all the site details for OFCOM’S approval, which took 3 months for OFCOM to approve of it. Now the problem is with Newham Council officials who have been changing the goal post on a daily basis with impunity, leaving us at the mercy of God. We do not want to believe this is a deliberate effort to frustrate VOAR’s efforts to satisfy OFCOM’S requirements or a racist attempt to cut off an African radio station from existence. The painful thing is that, it took 6 years of tireless campaign and support of the inhabitants of Newham and London for the licence to be won. We are bringing the issue into the open at the last minute, since all avenues and efforst to let council officials perform their duties have been exhausted and falling on deaf ears. At the moment all those involved in the project are about to throw in the towel, and others undergoing strain and stress. Ass a result of this the station is experiencing financial hardship and the entire project is in serious crisis, we have got up to 25[suP]th[/suP] March 2007 to start test transmission or else well loose the licence and all financial support associated with it plus all the investment so far.

We are calling upon all of you to come to the aid of VOAR

Contact

Space Clottey, VVOAR,

www.voiceofafricaradio.com

Sky Digital Channel:0192

London Borough of Newham

Tel:0208 471 9111 or 0207 0590035

Mobile: 07950819519