WE LOOK CLOSELY AT NATIONAL LIGHT NEWSPAPER ,the Trials ,the persecution and the Fraud. BY Mazi Odera

TODAY
/
Why do we have to investigate the NATIONAL LIGHT NEWSPAPER ? Because it is our state NEWSPAPER and it represent the Window of our state ,it is a Mirror to THE LIGHT OF THE NATION and we know that when a mirror is tainted and blurred,the reflections must be tainted .

Why should The Managing Director underwrites the balance of N.L monthly subvention after payment of statutory salaries, given the fact that about 200 staff strength had dropped to less than 100 as a result of retirements and resignations since he took over the mantle of leadership. ?.The Managing Director is the head of the food Chain and he has BLANKET APPROVAL of the Government ,whereby he is not accountable to any Boss including the Commissioner for Information . Our investigation reveals that since he assumed ofice, (a year now) he has suspended over 10 persons. Especially those who refused to play sycophantic music but choose to say the true situation of things.

Meanwhile after the suspension, he will surcharge them and no one accounts for the money. Nkiru Orji retired because he refused to grant her leave for her medical treatment that would have killed her.

We wonder over the sum of N1.2m (one million, two hundred thousand naira)that was released by government to the corporation for the repair of a collapsed part of the corporation’s perimeter fence sometime last year, which the MD later said the amount was N800,000 (eight hundred thousand naira) ,subtly implying that the Government took a cut from the money . Our investigation revealed that there was no management meeting to discuss ,plan or implement the project , the works were carried out by one of his siblings. We noticed that most of the offices in the main building still experience leaking roof, including the Managing Directors office.

NATIONAL LIGHT new advertisement rate for full page colour is N459,375 (four hundred and fifty-nine thousand, three hundred and seventy-five naira). They had 22 (twenty-two) full color advertorials during the one year in office anniversary of His Excellency, the Governor.
With the above rate they are expected to net N10, 098,000 (ten million, ninety-eight thousand naira). But till date, nobody even the management, knows anything about the money. Our Investigation learnt that the MD said he bought 12 (twelve) reels of news print of six tons at over N200, 000 (two hundred thousand naira) per ton, amounting to over N1.2m (one million, two hundred thousand naira), Meanwhile a ton of news print in the market is in the neighborhood of N140, 000 (one hundred and forty thousand naira) ,making it a difference of 60 thousand Naira each.
He engaged the services of three consultants and concealed till date the amount of money he pays each of them for their services, feeding and accommodations has not been revealed ,it is baffling that the management of the NATIONAL LIGHT are silent as if they are all in Coma and the Commissioner for Information needs some prodding to make her ask NATIONAL LIGHT to tell her which way they are heading ?.

It is not clear what the MD earns as a political appointee from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, but it is baffling that he also earns another salary from the corporation to the tune of N547,634.64 (five hundred and forty-seven thousand, six hundred and thirty-four naira, sixty-four kobo) [I attach the Photo copy of the salary sheet ,it will make us to see that his Salary in higher that 70% of the work force put together]. If we juxtapose this figure with what any of our honourable commissioners we then understand why the Commissioner for Information may be scared of doing her duties .

The MD made it a point of daily duty to drummed it into the ears of the staff , showing them heaps of paper to buttress his point that the corporation is already owing him over three million naira as “ARTHUR EZE” [which so much to give away], he did this in anticipation that whenever government decided to fund the corporation, he would be ‘reimbursed’.
To carry out these deals without any form of challenge or resistance, he cleverly cornered the two most prominent account department members of staff- Mrs. Oby Odiaka and Mr. Ikem Onwualu, who do his will for some gratifications.
Mrs. Odiaka herself allegedly to have committed lots of fraud in the accounts department, in fact till date she is still paying back to the coffers of the Staff Welfare Association the over N2m (two million naira) she mis-used, which she does by paying the sum of N25, 000 (twenty-five thousand naira) every month and has been doing so for the past three years

Ikem Onwualu was a staff of Anambra Broadcasting Corporation years back in Enugu but was sacked for fraud related offence and was later absorbed by his uncle who was then the Managing Director or Daily Star in Enugu. Since he joined NATIONAL LIGHT, he has committed all manner of fraud in the account department. He has also remained the chairman of one of the labour unions (NUPPPPROW) in the corporation, a position he has held for over nine years and refuse to conduct an election. He does not possess West African School Certificate (WASC), yet he has manipulated his way to Grade Level 12 which is the ceiling of WASC a holder. He therefore keeps encouraging MD to forget about any form of promotion exercise the workers were clamoring for since he would not benefit from it.

The members of staff of the production department are worst hit by this high handedness of the MD. They are exposed to dangerous printing chemicals. Before the assumption of office by Sir Chuka Nnabuife the MD of NATIONAL LIGHT , members of the production department were given a tin of liquid milk each after every production to cushion the effects of the very hazardous chemicals used in printing but Sir Chuka put an end to it the moment he took over as the Managing Director. The consequences are that most production department workers are dying silently because of the effects of hazardous chemicals on them. An example is what happened to one Mr. Kene Chine- one of the machine operators- he once fell ill and was sent to a medical laboratory by a doctor who later told him that the medical laboratory results revealed that his ailment was as a result of the harmful chemicals he worked with.

Sir Chuka lacks the administrative skill to manage human and material resources under his care or he needs to improve on it drastically .
He has maintained his threat to dent everybody’s record because he is a political appointee. This has created enmity between himself and most members of staff, especially the down trodden in the organization.

He without his team of management determines what happens in the corporation and threatens any member of management that has a contrary view.
With the current tyrannical reign in National Light Newspapers. Management and staff work in palpable fear, trouble and helplessness because of the high- handedness of the Managing Director.

The Commissioner or office of the Executive Governor should as soon as they can investigate and intervene in the reckless activities of Sir Chuka Nnabuife before the situation degenerates to an unbearable and despicable level. This is a place founded on the sacrifice of those who fought at Enugu to garner machines and equipment with which National Light took off. Sir Nnabuife should not be allowed to abuse and render useless such patriotic efforts. There have been Managing Directors before he was brought in to take over, Managing Directors who understood what human relationship and work ethics were about. Sir Chuka should not destroy all these or be allowed to shut down National Light