Radio Bayelsa, FRCN’s Creek FM go off-air as workers are locked out

Radio Bayelsa, aka `Glory FM’ operated by Bayelsa government went off-air on Tuesday as staff who resumed duties found the station under locks.

Staff on morning duty noticed that the transmission station was shut down and reported the incident to both management and union leaders.

Mr Tonye Yemoleigha, the chairman, Radio Bayelsa Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said that the union got reports of the closure of the station and made efforts to reach the management to no avail.

“Workers who turned up for morning duty were locked out and the station is off-air and we have tried to reach the General Manager.

“But he is not reachable on phone; we have reported to the relevant officials of government.

“It may be necessary for them to engage the services of a welder to remove the keys and allow staff to gain access to re-open the station,” Yemoleigha said.

It was gathered that the incident also affected the operations of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) FM station aka “Creek FM’’ whose transmitting facility is domiciled in the premises of Radio Bayelsa.

Engineering staff of Creek FM could not gain access to the premises of Radio Bayelsa to switch on the station’s transmitter to broadcast their programmes.

It would be recalled that Radio Bayelsa had been experiencing labour dispute since the General Manager of the Station, Mr John Idumange was appointed in December 2016.

Idumange had last week admitted flogging four union leaders in self defence following aggravated industrial dispute at the broadcast station

Idumange could not be reached for comments as he declined to take calls made to him on his mobile phone.