Luanda — Angola's Public Television (TPA)'s TV Sport and Culture channel is expected to start broadcasting in the first half of 2023, the TPA CEO, Francisco Mendes, announced this on Monday.

Francisco Mendes made the announcement during a visit to the institution by Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Media, Mário da Silva Oliveira.

Mendes also announced ongoing training of the professionals.

"Our professionals are being trained to respond to new challenges. It does not help to possess high-tech equipment and not having skilled staff to handle these means," he said.

TPA´s CEO also announced the completion of the process of transition from analogue system to HD by 2023.

As for Palanca TV management, Francisco Mendes, requested the reinforcement of funds to safeguard the extra expenses with staff, stressing that the company spends, monthly, 40 million kwanzas with those extra expenses.

Francisco Mendes did not disclose the type of the costs related to the staff from Palanca TV, which had been broadcasting, on private basis, since 15 December 2015.

The company was handed over to the State in 2020, as part of asset recovery programme.

Francisco Mendes put at 40 million kwanzas the amount spent on managing the equipment and staff of the now defunct Palanca TV.

He added that this value was outside the company's financial planning, which has allegedly caused "many constraints.

In turn, the minister Mário Augusto da Silva Oliveira said the problem would be presented to the central authorities.

Prior to visiting TPA, the minister Mário Oliveira had already been at other public media outlets.

They include National Radio Station (RNA), Newspaper (Edições Novembro) and Angola News Agency (ANGOP).

The objective is to assessing the technical and working conditions of the professionals.

TPA was founded on 18 October 1975.