…Sacked twenty five staff of the re-branded coy
By Rabiu Doma, Nasarawa
The Governor of Nasarawa state, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has approved the re-absorption of sixty five [65] staff of Nasarawa publishing Company Limited [NPC LTD], publishers of the State-owned weekly newspaper, the Nigeria Newsday and Nasara Newspapers respectively.
The Governor has also approved the termination of appointment of the remaining twenty five (25) employees of the company and further rapt that those affected be paid three months’ salary each as their terminal benefits in accordance with the company’s condition of service.
It will be recalled that the state government had in March 2013 scrapped the newspaper and disengaged the services of the 90 Staff and appointed a Sole Administrator to oversee a revitalization of the inactive company.
The decision to re-absorb the (65) erstwhile disengaged employees, followed a staff Audit and Regrading exercise carried out by a committee set up by the government, with a view to transpose the company and to make it effectual and exceedingly modest in the country’s Newspaper industry. All affected are demanded to check the company’s notice Board for details.
The company is expected to resume printing and publishing of a rebranded version of the newspaper in December 2013; This was contained in a press statement and made available to news men by the Honorable commissioner for Information and Ethical Reorientation, Hamza Elayo Mohammed.
The revival of the scrapped coy with over 80 employees may not be unconnected to the pressure mounted on the chief executive over the purge.
Other demands of the House of Assembly also include the Sacking of the Special Adviser to Governor Al-Makura on Inter-party affairs and gender Issues, Hajara Danyaro, The sacking of the General .Manager of Nasarawa Express Service, Phillip Iyakwari was also resolution number 70 of the House of Assembly .
The Governor is gradually dancing to the melody of the Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly including the five members of the ruling All Progressive Congress who are in support of the decision of the nineteen members of the opposition party, The People’s Democratic Party to impeach the state Governor who was accused of taking unilateral decision.
The sacking of Hajara Danyaro, Special Adviser to Governor Al-Makura on Inter-party affairs and the General Manager of Nasarawa Express Service, Philip Iyakwari is a deciding factor that Governor Al-Makura has bow down to the lawmakers.
The Honorable House directed the state Governor to as matter of urgency sacked Hajara Danyaro for insulting the lawmakers in a radio interview recently, The sins that still lingers on the air, The Special Adviser who was summoned to the Assembly for questioning fail to apologized to the lawmakers instead raise eyebrow .
The sacking of the two political appointees is part effort in fulfilling some of the demands of the NSHA,Also is the sacking of Phillip Iyakwari ,The G.M manager it was reveal suspend and sacked staffers of the state owned transport company at will in spite of the intervention of the lawmakers to reinstate the disengaged staff from service.
The decision of the sacked G.M did not only affect the livelihood of the staff of the company but also paralyzed activities of the company which was mar by incessant strike pressurizing the state Governor to sack the General Manager for the interest of the state and the company, But the Governor who appointed him felt to deaf ears.
Iyakwari was also accused of crippling Plateau Express Service (PES) when he held sway as the former General Manager of the state owned Transport Company in the then Plateau state before Nasarawa state was created.
Some lingering lacuna between the executive and legislative organ of Government include the renaming of model schools constructed by the state Governor under the Universal Basic Education Commission (NSUBEB) to Taal Model School, The lawmakers protested the naming of public schools to the chief executive’s private company .
Other demands also include why the Governor must trip the state owned University, Nasarawa State University Keffi as the visitor to the institution is yet to visit the state University, The House of Assembly also challenged the chief executive on the underfunding of the University, which they said was the reason behind the stunted growth of the institution.
Another dividing factor was that the demanded that Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura must re-paint the 100 tricycle painted with CPC paint as well rename it other than Keke Taal which was the name of his private company.
