Scores of workers of Daar Communications Plc,
operator of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM Radio, on
Wednesday shut down all broadcasting activities at the Benin studio in protest
over unpaid salaries.
The protesting workers were said to have
blocked the main entrance to the station located along the Benin/Lagos bypass.
A detachment of anti-riot policemen were
however called by the management of the station to forestall any break down of
law.
It was gathered that the protesting workers
put at 50 of AIT and Ray Power, were owed salaries spanning between 12 and 17
months.
One of the protesting workers who did not
want his name in print for personal reasons, said newly employed staff of AIT
were being owed 12 months while old staff were yet to be paid salaries between
13 months and staff of the Raypower FM, the Radio arm of the broadcast outfit
were owed 17 months.
“The stations generate millions of naira on a
daily basis, so there is no reason why we should not be paid our salaries. They
have no excuse not to pay us our money. It is share wickedness and man’s
inhumanity to his fellow man. We have families to care for and children to pay
their school fees. Many of our children have stopped going to school. But their
own attend schools abroad.
“Look at where our station is located, in
another village so far away from Benin City. You have to chatter a taxi cab for
not less than N500.00 to get there if you miss the staff bus. And not even
every cab driver will agree to go there because of the wrong location of the
station, yet, they expect us to be there every day, whether you have anything
to do or not,” the source told P.M. NEWS on phone.
Chairman of the organization, Raymond Dokpesi
(Jnr) was said to have spoken to the protesters on phone. He allegedly appealed
for calm, assuring them that the management will within one week do everything
possible to pay parts of the salary arrears.
He however allegedly threatened to pay-off
any of the staff that decided to resign from the establishment.
Source: PMNEWS
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