Christian radio reaches rural listeners

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
THE word of Christ is reaching the whole of Central Bougainville after Wantok Radio Light fired up a 300W transmitter at Arawa last week.
The station, which features prayers, family-focused programmes and gospel music was applauded for its contribution to peace building in Bougainville by Communication Minister Jimmy Miringtoro.
In launching Wantok Radio Light and government television Kundu 2 last week, Miringtoro said communication was vital to the ongoing peace process in Bougainville.
 Wantok Radio Light programmes would enhance the spiritual growth of rural listeners in Bougainville.
The government, as part of its commitment to ensuring information and communication services reached the bulk of the population in the rural areas, had committed K4 million to helping Wantok Radio Light extend its network.
He urged the people of Bougainville and especially the landowners in Arawa to take care of infrastructure such as communication towers that brought communication services to Bougainville.
“In bringing such services, there are a lot of barriers we have to overcome. These include financial and natural barriers like people.
“We, the people, can be barriers to development too when we raise issues of landownership or destroy infrastructure that is on our land,” Miringtoro said.
National Broadcasting Corporation and Wantok Radio Light managing directors, Memafu Kapera and Andrew Ogil respectively, pledged to work together to expand their respective media services to South Bougainville.