..fresh storm destroys AIT mast

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenegoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed shock at the extent of destruction inflicted on public and private properties in the state by a windstorm.

The storm devastated the state-owned broadcasting corporation leading to the collapse of its mast, buildings and other facilities within the premises.

While Bayelsans were yet to recover from the Monday night incident, another violent rainstorm yesterday swept through Yenagoa, the state capital leading to the collapse of the mast of the African Independent Television at Elebele in the outskirts of Yenagoa.

Though no life was lost during the Wednesday afternoon incident, several billboards in the state capital were destroyed and some buildings had their roofs blown off.

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However,, Senator Diri, while on an on-the-spot assessment of damage at the Bayelsa owned radio station in Ekeki, Yenagoa, Tuesday described the incident as a natural disaster and a great loss.

The governor In a statement noted that the collapsed state-owned broadcasting corporation mast did not only serve Radio Bayelsa but also Radio Nigeria’s Creek FM and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Yenagoa.

“We are all amazed and really shocked by what has happened while we are still grappling with COVID-19 disease. It is a natural disaster and there is nothing anyone can do.

“We came here the other time when there was a fire outbreak and when the station was destroyed by hoodlums.

“Today we are here to personally see the destruction caused by a rainstorm, which brought down the whole mast serving not only Radio Bayelsa but also Radio Nigeria and NTA Yenagoa,” the governor said.

He, however, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost.

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Diri, who sympathised with the management and staff of the station, assured that his administration would work out the modalities in conjunction with the Ministry of Information and the station’s General Manager on either a short term arrangement or construction of a new building to enable the workers to perform their duty.

He said: “We will make a comparative analysis on the short term arrangement and the long term on building a new station.

“After a meeting with the experts and doing the comparative analysis, we will come up with something either to do the short term or to go for a new station.”

Diri was accompanied on the visit by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr. Peter Akpe, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information. Mr. Freston Akpor among others.

Vanguard News