How We Have Taken To Begging In Order Feed Our Families And Survive -PRTVC Staff Cry Out

Yakubu Busari

With the confusion rocking the Plateau State Radio, Television Corporation (PRTVC) contract staff, it is now seen that they have resorted to begging to survive the harsh economic calamity that has befallen them.

Our correspondent gathered that the most affected by this mess are casual workers who are being owed for over two to three, whose salaries monthly are just N7000 per month.

This unbearable situation has pushed them into going about looking for means of surviving the ugly story of the Plateau state-own media drama.

However, the conditions were carefully monitored right from PRTVC when it commenced broadcasting in 1988 with the sole agenda to promote and liberate the state under the NPN government and the opposition NPP party media in politics.

The sole aim of the founding fathers of the state’s own media was to be objective, balance, and tell our own stories before the world and the second top agenda was on job creation for those that read journalism to practice their Professionalism.

PRTVC over the years since its creation, the station had been embroiled in political problems ranging from nonpayment of staff salary and illegal dismissal of workers including the one that politicians are hijacking the recruitment exercise to press their selfish political agenda to prove a point to their supporters.

PRTVC has been rated in terms of media broadcast in Nigeria as one of the best with intelligence staff who’s outstanding once rose to the rank of directors and General Managers across the length and breadth of the world.

Besides, this recent skeletal broadcasting by the best brains and intelligence staff to feed the state with content had continued to suffer setbacks which generated low income.

This became worse under the present management that the station is living on her past glory and the income can’t sustain them.

However, listeners described it as poor management and failure of government to put the right people and qualify technocratic to revamp back media outfit if necessary.

Our correspondent gathered that some of the top management is now working hard to frustrate and delay the monthly stipend, as some of the staff are now receiving threats and intimidation.

“You will recall that the staff whose employments were unlawfully terminated by the Plateau State Government, during the administration of former Governor Jonah David Jang who is now challenging their counsel, Barr. Gideon Ngwen, a lawyer, for criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds, has cried out that the case is now gradually taking another dimension.

Barrister Gideon Ngwen connived with the management of the station to siphon money paid to sacked workers of PRTVC.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, arraigned Barrister Gideon Ngwen before Justice C. L. Dabup of Plateau State High Court, Jos, on a three-count charge but she couldn’t complete it and he transfer it to Justice S P .Gang.

He was accused of allegedly converting the judgment debt paid into his account on behalf of his clients, which top management of the PRTVC including top government officials in Governor Simon Lalong cabinet is working tirelessly to twist and block the matter for proceedings.

“It would be recalled that the workers, sometimes in 2014 and 2016 instituted a suit at the National Industrial Court, Jos Division in Suit No. NICN/JOS/25/2014 and NICN/JOS/28/2016 against the Plateau State government for unlawful termination of their employment whereupon the defendant took up their case pro bono”.

This was revealed that during the trial, the parties entered into a consent judgement and it was agreed that the sum of N181, 890, 402. 66 (One Hundred and Eighty-One Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety Thousand, Four Hundred and Two Naira and Sixty Six Kobo) be paid to all 100 staff through the account of the defendant domiciled in United Bank for Africa, UBA,.

They further alleged that to their dismay, they discovered that the sum of N107, 000, 000. 00 (One Hundred and Seven Million Naira) which has been paid into the defendant’s United Bank for Africa Bank account, had been converted by him for personal use.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Gideon Ngwen (trading under the name and style of Gideon Ngwen & Co.) between 21st September 2017 and 8th July 2018 at Jos, Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted to your own use the sum of N67, 540, 129. 57 (Sixty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Forty Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty Nine Naira, Fifty Seven Kobo) which was entrusted to you by the Plateau State Government as payment of arrears of salaries to David Musa Ayiki and 99 other staff of Plateau State Radio Television Corporation (PRTVC).”

The prosecution counsel, M. O. Tijani when spoke on the phone on the next adjourned date, responded that no date was given, as the matter was slated for ruling on the preliminary objection.

The frustrated PRTVC staff are calling for the intervention of the Plateau State government under the amiable leadership of Governor Simon Lalong to come into the matter, as some of the staff are dead.