A new FM station, Sunrise FM 106.7, has been commissioned at Koforidua. The radio station, owned by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), will cover activities in all parts of the Eastern Region.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, asked heads of public organisations to cut down the cost of running their institutions. He said it is only by doing this that the government can save huge sums of money for development. Mr Owusu-Agyemang said most organisations have to streamline their workforce in order to reduce government expenditure, which has of late been very high.

The acting Chairman of GBC’s Board of Directors, Mr Idris Egala, urged the directors of the new station to ensure that its programmes are tailored towards improving the quality of life of the people.

He also called on the people in the region to show interest in the station’s programmes and give meaningful contributions for its sustenance. Mr Egala also advised staff of the new radio station to create a positive image for the corporation by ensuring that they are objective in their news reportage.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Gustav Narh-Dometey, said the government considers the FM station as a partner in the development of the region. He called on the station to promote business and tourism in the region and also educate the people on topical issues that are of concern to the region and the nation.

The Director-General of GBC, Mr Ago Adjetey, said the corporation has been able to change its negative image of being a tool in the hands of government to a positive one of a reliable, fair and objective medium. He also said that the present management has, within a very short time, been able to establish four new FM stations. These, he said, are Radio Upper West at Wa, Obonu FM, Uniq FM and Sunrise FM.

Mr Adjetey said the management have also brought the corporation’s accounts up-to-date, explaining that the accounts for 1992 to 1998 have been audited, signed and presented to the Auditor-General’s Department. He added that accounts for 1999 and 2000 have been submitted to the corporation’s external auditors.

The Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng, who chaired the ceremony, called on the media to safeguard custom and tradition.