The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, has threatened to shut down the state-owned media outfit, The Hope newspapers, over alleged maladministration in the organisation by the new Managing Director, Mr Kayode Fasua.
Thefrontrank reports that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had in October 2024 appointed Fasua as the new Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Owena Press Ltd, publishers of The Hope Newspapers.
NUJ in a letter signed by its Chairman, Leke Adegbite and the Secretary, Olaoluwa Meshack, said that the Union could no longer accept the “poor administrative skills” of Fasua.
Competent sources said that in less than three months, Fasua had “illegally employed his incompetent friend as Editor, engaged a lady who just completed a Diploma course as News Editor and recruited his daughter as the Accountant of The Hope Newspapers without following due process.”
The new Managing Director was equally accused of “demoting the organisation’s Editor, the Assistant Editor, the News Editor and redeployed others without no reason while Fasua has continued to threaten, harass and intimidate the workers especially News Department staff.”
It was also learnt that the Managing Director has within 24hours of receiving NUJ letter created an illegal union “Owena Press Staff Union” to justify his maladministration.
In the ‘NOTICE OF INTENT TO PICKET’ dated January 16, 2025, addressed to Fasua, NUJ said: “It has come to our knowledge the disturbing policies recently being implemented by your management at the Owena Press PLC (publisher of the Hope titles) and how they have been affecting our members adversely.
“Under the policies, our members are being subjected to work under serious emotional trauma and we therefore urge you to reverse these policies immediately to ensure that our members can work without undue stress.
“Specifically, the policies include; demotion of some management Staff, Emotional Harassment, work overload without incentive among other obnoxious policies.
“We demand that the policies especially recent demotion of the Editor and other editorial staff, be rescinded within the next 24 hours.
“Sir, failure to comply with these demand will leave us with no choice but to picket your office at the beginning of work (January 20, 2025). This action will be taken as a last resort to express our strong displeasure with the policies.
“We hope that you will take our demands seriously and take prompt action to address our concerns,” Ondo NUJ advised.
Thefrontrank reports that Fasua, who began his journalism career at The Hope Newspapers as a Reporter in 1996, took over from the immediate pass Managing Director, Sir Ademola Adetula, who served the organisation meritoriously for over seven years and ensure the growth of the outfit.
