THE Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the International University of Management (IUM) and the ABN Training Institute in Dubai recently signed an agreement on media training.
In terms of the cooperation deal, the two tertiary institutions will provide media training for both the private and public sector, programme development and certification in conjunction with the NBC.
Senior and middle leadership development media training programmes for the Namibian Government and Parliament are also on the cards as part of the agreement. It is planned to use the NBC’s studios and facilities to deliver the programmes.
IUM will cooperate with the Dubai university “to ensure that quality work is done in the delivery of the programmes and will certify the programmes”.
According to NBC director general Albertus Aochamub, “this will provide an opportunity for the NBC to have participants and charge for the use of facilities”.
The agreement is said to be valid for a renewable minimum of five years and may be terminated by one of the parties if one year’s written notice is given.
IUM Vice Chancellor Virginia Namwandi signed the agreement on behalf of IUM, Aochamub for the NBC while Rakesh Wahi represented the ABN Training Institute.
Aochamub recently announced drastic cost-saving measures to stop the national broadcaster from drowning in debt.
Apart from cutting down on locally produced programmes, ministries will have to fund NBC coverage of their events and functions, Aochamub said. Also to be affected are outside broadcasts of national events, like the annual opening of Parliament and the Independence Day celebrations.
Covering the upcoming Independence celebrations at Mariental would cost between N$400 000 and N$450 000, he said.
It remains to be seen whether the Minister of Finance, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, will clear the corporation’s expected N$81 million deficit for the financial year ending March 31 this year when she tables the national budget in Parliament today.
This was one of the pleas Aochamub made to Government to help the NBC back on its feet.