The Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has threatened to shut down the state owned Owena Press PLC (publishers of The Hope newspapers) over what it decried as “some obnoxious” policies of the new Managing Director/CEO of the media outfit, Mr. Kayode Fasua.
In a Notice of Intent to picket the office signed by the NUJ State Chairman, Prince Leke Adegbite, and Secretary, Olaoluwa Meshack, the union said it could no longer tolerate the “poor administrative skills” of Fasua, who was appointed four months ago.
The union alleged that Fasua had employed his “incompetent” friend as Editor, engaged a lady “who just finished Diploma” as News Editor and recruited his daughter as the Accountant of The Hope newspapers without following due process.
Fasua was said to have also demoted the Editor, Assistant Editor, News Editor and redeployed others without any reason, while he has “continued to threaten, harass and intimidate the workers, especially News Department staff”.
It was also learnt that, within 24 hours of receiving the NUJ letter, Fasua had created an illegal union, “Owena Press Staff Union”.
In the ‘Notice of Intent to Picket’ the media outfit, dated 16 January 2025, Ondo NUJ said: “It has come to our knowledge the disturbing policies recently being implemented by your management at the Owena Press PLC (publishers 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“We demand that the policies, especially recent demotion of the Editor and other editorial staff, be rescinded within the next 24 hours.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 demands will leave us with no choice but to picket your office at the beginning of work (20 January 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”.
