1,000 rural communities benefit from Satellite TV
No fewer than 1,000 villages across Nigeria have benefited from the Satellite TV for 10,000 African villages initiated by China-africa Cooperation.
The initiative was aimed at helping Nigeria meet the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU’S) demand for African countries to achieve digital migration of TV industry before year 2020.
Speaking to journalists at the launch in Kpaduma Village, Abuja, Justin Zhang, Chief Executive Officer, Startimes Nigeria, explained that the launch was one of the major programmes designed to strengthen the bilateral relationship between China, Nigeria and by extension Africa.
Zhang disclosed that a lot of jobs were created during the implementation of the project including training on how to re- charge, operate and provide the required maintenance support for all the products installed, with a plan to make some of them dealers as time goes on.
“We are all here today because of the promise made by Chinese President Xi Jinping, that China would implement access to satellite TV for ten thousand villages across Africa, as one of the major cooperation programs to boost cooperation between China and Africa.
“Out of the 10,000 Villages, Nigeria alone will get 1,000 and Startimes is playing a great role as the contractor for this project across all the African countries that will benefit.
“Some of the work we have done in the villages include installation of 2 solar power projector TVS for the community, 1 32’ digital TV set with solar system, 20 Satellite dish and decoders where they can watch more than 100 international and local channels. The 2 solar powered projector TVS and 32’ digital TV are for public use and free of charge,” said Zhang.
In his remarks, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, expressed optimism that the project will complement the ongoing efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to democratise access to information and entertainment in the country.
He noted that the 1,000 villages project could not have come at a better time than now as the general elections are just a little over one month.
“In just a little over one month, Nigerians will be voting in the 2019 general elections. They need access to information now, more than at any other time, to know about the over 70 political parties that will be participating in the elections as well as about their various candidates,” said Mohammed.