Chad’s oldest private radio station has stopped broadcasting. Faced with an acute financial crisis associated with the effects of Covid-19, Dja FM has not been broadcasting since May 27, following a power failure that destroyed several components of its transmitter.
As a result of the power cuts to which the Chadian capital has subscribed for several years, Radio Dja FM has stopped broadcasting. Zara Mahamat Yakhoub, the radio’s coordinator, deplores its closure.
Radio Dja FM,” she said, “which is the very first free private radio station in Chad, has not been broadcasting since last Thursday following a technical breakdown. This breakdown is the result of difficulties accumulated in recent years and aggravated by Covid-19. Moreover, in order to cope with it, we have even compressed the staff. Despite this, we have not been able to recover since the untimely power cuts force us to use generators, that is to say, generators that do not manage to last long, with the excessive use. ”
“And so,” continues Zara Mahamat Yakhoub, “on Wednesday, between the incessant breakdowns of the electric generator and the power cuts, our transmitter received a shock that destroyed some components. In Chad, it is not easy to find spare parts. So, given the post-Covid financial crisis, the voice of Radio Dja FM risks being silenced forever.