By Emeka Nwokocha
WARRI/Nigeria: Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Delta Broadcasting Service, Warri Chapter, has finally suspended all work activities at the station following a work-to-rule action commenced by its members today, Wednesday 20 March, leading to a shutdown of the Delta Rainbow Television (DRTV) and Melody FM radio station.
A visit to the DBS, along NPA Express way, Edjeba-Warri, in Warri south local government area, tells the story better, as the workers diligently wear a red ribbon on their wrist, signifying unalloyed solidarity to their union in its effort to righting the many wrongs bedeviling the Delta state owned station.
Commenting on the development, Comr. Isaac Oboh, Chairman of RATTAWU, DBS, Warri, lamented the decrepit state of the station in recent time, even as he attributed the protracted woes bedevilling the broadcasting house to poor management.
Comr. Oboh noted that DBS had been enmeshed in administrative quagmire, a development he said seriously hinders the growth of the state owned broadcasting house over the years.
Reeling out some of the inherent challenges in the station, Comr. Oboh said the operational vehicles have broken down, except one, which often breaks down anytime it goes for operation. Stating that the absence of functional equipment at the broadcast station is enormously limiting its operations.
Continuing, the RATTAWU Chairman said “the radio signals “go off and on” during the rainy season for nonavailability of thunder arrestor, a basic protective equipment.
“In this era of technological innovation, instead of using microwave links to connect to our transmitters, we use physical lines that are vulnerable to lightning and thunder strike,” he stated.
Adding, “The situation is so pathetic as DBS, Warri currently depends fully on public power supply. Meaning, when power is interrupted, our TV and Radio signals automatically go off air because we can no longer transmit our programmes, until whenever power is restored.”
Comr. Oboh however noted that the broadcast station has a brand new 500KVA power generator which has not been installed, including a relatively new 350KVA power generator whose problem is simply lack of maintenance. He wondered why power supply would be a hectic and insurmountable issue that regularly brings the operations of DBS, Warri to a halt.
He called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to intervene urgently in the epileptic operation of the broadcast station, stressing that the station has dedicated and efficient manpower to deliver quality service if the right equipment and comfortable work atmosphere is put in place.
Reacting to the role of the administrative board of the station in recent time, Comr. Oboh said, “no meaningful development has been attracted to the station since the board was inaugurated.
Speaking on the work-to-rule action, Comr. Sonia Unobunjo, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), DBS Warri Chapel, said that the exercise was meant to compel the management of DBS, Warri to put its acts together to ensure the operations of the broadcast station are improved in all ramifications.
“We have decided to embark on work-to-rule action in the hope that it would bring to fruition the work tools and conducive environment we seriously demand to make us efficient in our duties.
“Recall, we have some pending issues since February 2018 which we have presented to management but still, nothing has been done till date. The reason the management has kept mute over the issues, I do not know. Again, It will surprise you to know that we don’t have water in our toilet facilities, even the smallest work tool, “broom” for cleaning the environment is a scare resource.”
Continuing, Comr. Sonia expressed concern about the untidy condition of the station, saying “the environment is taken over by weeds to the extent that reptiles invade offices.”
Lamenting the state of the News and Current Affairs Department of the station, Comr. Sonia said more than 20 dedicated senior and junior reporters, including senior correspondents come to work without basic work tools to do their duties.
“Would anybody say that the two cameras Delta State government gave to the station not quite long ago, is all the news department needs? As a media house, the news and current affairs, marketing and programmes departments need cameras to function optimally. The truth is, if there is breaking news, we cannot get to the spot with our full work paraphenelia, because vehicle is a challenge, even cameras too.”
She continued, “Even papers and ink to print reports are often not available at the news department. These are minor materials needed for the day-to-day running of the station. We don’t need Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to provide these little materials for the station. We don’t need the governor to provide water pumping machine for the station.”
Comr. Sonia said, “Since the instrument of dialogue had exhaustively been used to call the attention of the DBS board, and the management to the pressing issues, still nothing had been done, then the work to rule action becomes inevitable.”
“Perhaps, our crying out will bring the long expected change,” she stated.
