Radio Bayelsa GM flogs four staffers over strike

Radio Bayelsa GM flogs four staffers over strike

The industrial dispute at Radio Bayelsa , christened Glory FM , took a twist on Thursday as the General Manager flogged four staffers on duty .
The Radio Bayelsa Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists and Radio Television and Theatre Arts Workers Unions consequently shut the radio station .
Some reports had said the staffers were whipped by suspected thugs .
The NUJ Chairman in Radio Bayelsa , Mr Tonye Yemoleigha , said on Thursday in Yenagoa that he and three female staff were caned by the General Manager of the Station , Mr John Idumange.
“ Four of us , myself and three female staff were flogged by Idumange himself . The report that it was thugs is inaccurate . It was the General Manager himself . The blisters on the skin are more severe for the ladies.
“ We have reported the matter to the Ekeki Police Division and sought medical attention at the Federal Medical Centre , Yenagoa . Workers have been constantly intimidated and threatened for no just cause . ”
Mr Idumange declined to comment on the allegation that he caned the four members of staff .
Yemoleigha , NUJ Chairman said : “ Mr John Angese , Bayelsa Council Chairman of NUJ who is a staff of Radio Bayelsa has also been threatened with a sack, we are all being victimised for insisting that the General Manager complies with Public Service rules.
“ We have been under siege since the General Manager was appointed on December 6 , 2016 . We are not opposed to repositioning the station which is in our interest but we want the procedure to follow due process . ”
After the station went off air , the management mobilised armed security men and few employees who rebuffed the strike to reopen the station .
The station continued to play music all through as the station ’ s scheduled programmes and news bulletin could not be aired .
Yemoleigha said that workers of the station are not opposed to staff redeployment .
He said , “ But the unions should also be part of the process to ensure that the best hands are not sacrificed on the altar of nepotism , sentiment or witchhunt .
“ We are also aware of the alleged over N5 m payroll fraud which Idumange claimed to have uncovered and has referred to the Police for investigation .
“ Ordinarily , in line with established procedures , an Investigative Panel should have been instituted to look into the matter and come up with a report with which management would act as appropriate .
“ All these are expressly spelt out in the Public Service Rules ; however , we are requesting a copy of the police report after their investigation .
“ We have asked management to properly discipline everyone involved in an established case of running the salary of a staff who resigned with effect from August 2016 . ”
Idumange dismissed the allegations levelled against him . He said that the unions were being used to sabotage his efforts at repositioning the station which was in a deplorable state before his appointment .
He refused to speak on the allegations that he flogged staffers of the station .
He said that there was no going back on his reform efforts as they have received the blessings of the supervising Bayelsa Ministry of Information .
He said , “ This small radio station has 346 workers ; employment and job placement have never followed due process , we are currently reorganising the place and they are resisting our efforts.
“ Those ghost workers must be fished out and the payroll cleaned up .
“ The wage bill of the station is N 35 m monthly and it is not sustainable . My predecessor incurred a debt of N 40 m.
“ The unions are being instigated by the Heads of Department affected in the illegal recruitment , and those who came into that place through the back door , ”