Ivorian television back on air

Ivorian television back on air

The suspended Ivorian National Television is back on air after three months of closure.

The state television station was eclipsed by the Cote d’Ivoire Television (TCI), a private initiative of President Alassane Ouattara, during the five-month political crisis in the country.

Rebels attack

The television station was hard hit by the rebel-turned-soldiers called the Ivorian Republic Force (FRCI), who invaded the studios at the peak of the country’s political crisis.

The FRCI fired Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) to knock off some parts of the station, while weakening the security provided by former President Laurent Gbagbo’s soldiers.

Political campaign tool

The station was said to be a major tool for former President Laurent Gbagbo’s political campaign before the 2010 presidential elections and after he lost the elections.

The television and radio stations openly championed the former president’s stay in power.

Reports say that the former government used the television station to launch campaigns against the UN operations, West African and French citizens, calling them the enemy of the state who, according to the former government, “raped the presidential elections in Ouattara’s favour.’’

Reconstruction process

A statement issued last week by the Ministry of Communication, said the television station had been rehabilitated and that the opening would be preceded by a training workshop for the staff.

Reconstruction work was reported to be ongoing with the satellites still heavily damaged and hanging loosely.

A staff of the station who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the French Government had intervened in the resuscitation of the communication network, providing facilities and technical competence to re-equip the station.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Communication, said that the interim Director-General of the station, Brou Pascal, had been replaced by Aka Lazare.

Meanwhile, the statement, signed by the Minister of Communication, Diakite Coty, did not give reasons for the removal of Pascal but only noted that he headed on interim basis.

Pascal, who had coordinated the live presidential debate between Ouattara and Gbagbo on the station, was appointed to the position in April.

NAN/Shakira/Williams