The Management of the Alternative Youth Radio (AYR) 98.9 FM, a Liberian community radio station in Lofa County has rejected a branded motorcycle donated to the institution by the county’s Senator, Momo Cyrus.
Out of the 12 community radio stations in Lofa earmarked to receive a TVS motorcycle each from Senator Cyrus, the AYR was the only station that rejected the donation.
James Kwabo, the manager of the station said the lawmaker’s donation was rejected due to his decision to tag his name on the motorcycle.
The TVS motorbike was branded: AYR 98.9FM donated by: Senator Cyrus.
Kwabo said accepting a donation branded by politicians runs contrary to the policy of the station.
He noted that though the community radio station remains faced with logistical challenges and needs motorcycles to enable reporters to gather news and other information from hard-to-reach villages and towns, it would not accept a coded motorcycle from Senator Cyrus and any other politician.
He said the office of the senator, through the Chief of Staff (COS) Arthur Kowah, was notified of the station’s policy prior to the donation, but the senator did nothing to remove his name from the motorcycle.
“We respectfully declined to receive the motorcycle because after several negotiations with the Senator to understand our position, his team was not prepared to listen to us at the moment. We also reached out to him (Senator Cyrus) but there was no positive response from him concerning our decision and so, we came out publicly,” he said.
“If he (Cyrus) truly wants to give us this motorcycle with no string attached, he can give it to us without branding it. But they insisted that they couldn’t do it. So, we respectfully decline.”
The management in its policy on donation sets clear conditions supporting acceptance of donations that align with its mission and from individuals who do not seek to influence the editorial independence of the station, its decision or policies.
“AYR will not accept donations that come with conditions that compromise AYR’s integrity or operations, originate from sources involved in illegal, unethical, or exploitative activities; are offered in exchange for advertising, undue influence, or editorial bias,” the policy states.
It prohibits individual donors from branding their names on donated items to the station.
According to the policy, this is intended to ensure fairness, prevent favoritism and to avoid the perception of undue influence.
The policy also allows corporate organizations or institutions to brand items donated to the station in consultation with the management and void promotional and advertising languages.
“Once it doesn’t have any conflict with our policy, we don’t reject donations. But what we do as a strict jacket procedure is that we don’t have you as an individual, especially those who are in clear political activities, donating to us and writing your names on a motorcycle or whatever item you are donating to us. That was the case with Senator Cyrus.”
Kwabo emphasized that his institution appreciates the gesture from Senator Cyrus, but management cannot receive it in such a form.