A delegation from Radio Univers, led by General Manager Dr. Kwaku Botwe, paid a courtesy call on the hall masters of Mensah Sarbah Hall and Legon Hall last Friday to strengthen ties and explore avenues for collaboration.
Accompanying the General Manager were Radio Univers Administrator, Mrs. Genevieve Ackah and Station Officer, Mr. Benefo Buabeng.
During the visit, the Mensah Sarbah Hall Master, Professor Roger Atinga, called for stronger media coverage of events happening in the halls of residence. He acknowledged that many important student programs go unnoticed due to the absence of a formal communication channel with the station.
Professor Roger Atinga encouraged Radio Univers to build relationships with hall executives to ensure better coverage.
“You need to really invest and take a lot of the news from the various halls and other sources. Get closer to your stakeholders. If you want, begin to air your shows around the halls. Watch it and see how you begin to get a lot of attention. You can create a platform to allow students and faculty members to share information with your team,” he mentioned.
At Legon Hall, Hall Master Dr. Alfred Yankson recalled his past involvement with the station, particularly as a host of the ‘Test Tube” show. He emphasized the importance of reviving educational programs that focus on scientific advancements and energy sustainability, noting that such initiatives would help improve listenership and promote knowledge-sharing on campus.
“I used to host a program. It was called Test Tube, and it focused on things happening in the science frontiers. Unfortunately, the sponsorship ceased, and the program also disappeared.”
Addressing the importance of discussions on energy, Dr. Yankson said “Every day on our radio, it is the usual politics. If there’s a program that involves experts especially in tackling issues like energy sustainability without the usual political distractions, it will be beneficial. We recognize the importance of science and educational content. Since I took office, several lecturers have expressed interest in contributing, and we are looking at revamping such initiatives.”
A key issue raised during the discussions was the challenge of accommodation for student volunteers working with Radio Univers. Dr. Botwe highlighted the difficulties volunteers face, especially during vacation periods when they struggle to secure on-campus housing. He proposed that university consider allocating a designated number of accommodation slots for Radio Univers volunteers, similar to arrangements made for student-athletes in various halls of residence.
“The immediate need in terms of accommodation would be for the vacation because we run throughout the year. Vacation becomes a challenge for our students who have to stay. Some of them have to go home and return for work every day. Most of them are doing this with passion. It’s good that we meet them halfway.”
“We believe that just like sports men and women have accommodation slots we can institute something like that for the Radio Univers volunteers at least a few spots to also motivate them,” he added.
Both hall masters expressed their appreciation for the visit and assured Radio Univers of their commitment to supporting the station’s initiatives in fostering greater student engagement within the halls.
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Story by: Michelle Lartey | univers.ug.edu.gh
