Bong County, Liberia – For nearly a year, the airwaves of Kokoyah District were silent. Radio Kokoyah, the community-owned station that once carried news, education, and local voices across Bong County, had gone dark in 2023 due to technical and financial setbacks. For residents in rural communities who rely on radio as their lifeline to information, the silence was more than inconvenient—it was disorienting.
That silence has now been broken. Representative Prince Koinah of District One has donated modern broadcasting equipment worth over US$10,000, reviving the station and reigniting hope among his constituents.
The donation includes a 1-kilowatt transmitter, a 16-channel Yamaha mixer, microphones, headphones, a desktop computer, mic arms, studio chairs, and other essential tools. With this upgrade, Radio Kokoyah is expected not only to resume operations but also to extend its signal beyond Bong County into Grand Bassa and Nimba Counties.
A Community’s Voice Returns
At the official handover, Rep. Koinah emphasized the station’s role in bridging the gap between citizens and local authorities. “When Radio Kokoyah went silent, it was not just a station that stopped broadcasting; it was a community that lost its voice,” he said. “Every citizen deserves access to information and a platform to be heard, regardless of where they live.”
He explained that his intervention was driven by the urgent need to restore a vital communication lifeline. During the station’s closure, residents were left without timely updates on health, education, and governance—an absence he described as a serious setback for community development.
Local Leaders Welcome the Revival
Community leaders, including Elder Duah Kangar, Obediah Zohr, and Marcuson Nyeah, hailed the initiative as transformative. They pledged to work closely with the station’s management to ensure it fulfills its mission of promoting peace, unity, and reconciliation.
Station Manager Victor C.B. Smith expressed heartfelt gratitude, noting that outdated equipment and financial constraints had crippled the station for years. “Representative Koinah has not only restored a radio station but reignited hope among the people who depend on it daily for information and connection,” he said.
Smith added that the station plans to expand programming to include educational content, public service announcements, and interactive shows addressing key issues across the region.
Building Dialogue
For Rep. Koinah, the revival of Radio Kokoyah is about more than technology—it is about empowerment. “Development is not only about roads and buildings; it is also about communication and awareness,” he noted. “By bringing this station back, we are rebuilding a space where ideas can be shared, concerns can be raised, and solutions can be discussed collectively for the progress of our district.”
