Combat-ready mobile and regular policemen yesterday took over the premises of the Delta State government-owned television and radio broadcasting house, Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), as the crisis between its management and board deepens.
The latest development climaxed months of no-love-lost between the Willy Sowho-led management and the Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbon-Day-led board of DBS.
Investigations by The Nation revealed that the situation peaked on Sunday night when some members of staff, who were protesting the alleged deteriorating condition of service, shut down the broadcasting station.
The incident, which came barely hours to a meeting of the board, reportedly did not go down well with Mrs. Ogbon-Day.
She invited the police to seal off the premises before the meeting.
One aggrieved official said the condition of service dipped during the strife between the board and management, adding: “Nothing is working in DBS; everything from electric bulb to fuel for power plants has been stopped.”
But to the chagrin of the aggrieved DBS workers, it was gathered that the board members collected N500, 000 as their sitting allowance after the Sunday meeting.
The Chairman of the Radio and Television Workers Union (RATTAWU) chapter at the station, Comrade Onoriode Mukoro, confirmed the report, saying: “Because of the seeming power tussle between GM and Chairman of the Board, the situation in the station has deteriorated so badly that, for instance, there is not one functional vehicle to work with. No welfare for workers, purchase of fuel and other things are at a standstill.”
Mukoro said his union members on night duty have had to find their ways home.
“In that frustrating environment those on duty wanted to shut down the station and the board called emergency meeting for Monday. They described the incident as sabotage,” he added.
Although Mrs. Ogbon-Day could not be reached for comments, a source close to her accused the DBS chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and RATTAWU of allowing themselves to be used by Sowho.
The source, who craved anonymity, said the two unions were instigated to take sides with the GM against the board.
Both Mukoro and the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Felix Ekwu, denied reports that they were being used.
Mukoro said their action was based on the need to protect their members.
“Nobody can pocket RATTAWU, we are too big to be bought over; what we are saying is that both sides should not allow their differences to affect the welfare of workers because right now everything is on a downward spin,” he said.
Attempts to get Sowho’s reaction at press time yesterday proved futile.
He was said to have petitioned Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, alleging usurpation of his powers by the board.
Investigations revealed that in spite of the denials by the NUJ and RATTAWU, the workers have been polarised.
Some are backing Sowho. Others are supporting the board.