Some members of staff of Nigeria’s first private broadcast
station, Africa Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower FM, both owned by
Daar Communications, manned by High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, are presently wining
and dining with pain and anguish over unpaid salaries.
Sources said that some of the staffs have turned to
‘executive beggars’. This has now forced them to send a ‘Save Our Soul’, SOS,
letter to the chairman and Chief Executive of the company, Chief Dokpesi, to
pay up their salary arrears, which we reliably learnt, dates back to 2009.
We also confirmed that some staffs are being owed 2009
November and December salaries by the organisation. Interestingly, the company,
as at Monday, March 4, 2013, paid the salary arrears of August 2012.
In an SOS retrieved, the “hungry Daar [Comms] staffs”
appealed to Dokpesi to pay their salaries as “a hungry man is an angry lion.”
Below is the SOS letter written to Dokpesi on the matter.
AN SOS LETTER FOR
PAYMENT OF LONG OVERDUE SALARY ARREAS
We heartily congratulate you sir on the establishment of
many stations within and outside the country. We also pray that those in
pipeline would come to reality in Jesus name. More grease to you elbow.
Sir, we found it very necessary to write you personally as
the Executive Chairman of Daar Communications plc who authorises employment,
termination and disengagement of staff, to have a passionate concern on our
plight to kindly approve immediate payment of our long overdue salaries which
span between ten(10) to twelve months as the case maybe in Radio and TV
services(staff) (i.e 2009 and 2012 salaries arrears).
Sir, we have absolutely become very bad and regular debtors
as a result of none payment by your organisation (Daar Communications plc) to
our landlords, school proprietors and hospital managements.
Some of our children now ask questions, “daddy why is your
salary not paid every time”. Because they hear us tell their teachers.
Sir, some staff now also group themselves as AIT staff every
term to plead for more time to pay school fees. Alas! This is not too good for
staff of a growing company like yours.
Sir, after the recent organisational restructuring
(retrenchment of staff without payments) of Dec 31st. 2012, staff have been
expecting that at least August and September of 2012 salaries would be paid
after Xmas and New Year expenses rather information has it that August 2012
Salary would not be paid until march 2013. And true to it February 2013 is
almost running out and you didn’t see any reason to pay us any salary till now.
We want to plead that you kindly intervene with your good
humanitarian gestures to avert this motive in the interest of our families,
children school fees which we have signed an undertaken for. Even for us to
concentrate on official job’ “hungry man is an angry lion”
A careful study in the organisation shows that many staff
leave below poverty level except few who enjoys trip allowances, regular
telephone plus free transport allowances and some who enjoys juicy political
programmes presentation and early morning magazine presentation on AIT and
Raypower FM etc.
We don’t envy them as fingers are not equal but we humbly
request that our salaries be paid up to date at least for us to eat and live
comfortably.
Social and economy life of many staff is zero. Due to poor
staff welfare , when compare with friends and relatives elsewhere.
Sir, the Daar staffs therefore humbly request that our
salaries arrears be paid in earnest.
Once again. We congratulate you, board and management and
pray that God gives you the strength and ability to move the company to a
greater height with prompt payment of our salaries.
Thank you.
Your hungry staff.
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