VON D-G restates commitment to staff welfare

The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Ndace, has restated the agency’s commitment to staff welfare and 13 months salary to motivate and boost the morale of members of staff.

Mr Ndace stated this when the newly elected national executives of Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) led by its President, Emeka Kalu, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

According to him, the relationship between the agency and RATTAWU is very solid.

He added that Mr Kalu deserved the position because he had worked and strived for it, considering his antecedents at Anambra Broadcasting Service.

Mr Ndace admonished Mr Kalu to carry every member of the union along, including those who did not vote for him, urging him to focus on collaboration and motivation.

“When I assumed as director-general of VON, I told my staff that my first, second and third priority is welfare of staff.

“Last year, we paid ’13th month’ and will make it regular. They started getting alerts in September and some were complaining that it was coming too early, but that is the commitment we cannot ignore.

“I take RATTAWU very seriously, because I know the role of the union in this industry.

“We are in VON to fix it, not to play politics with its future. When you come to tell me about the past or problems, please ensure you also come with solutions to the challenges.

“I remain fully committed to enhancing staff welfare, but you know we work with budgetary provision, because we are a public institution.

“I want to assure you that we are getting unwavering support from President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, because they are focusing on public institutions,” Mr Ndace said.

He further explained that the resources given to the agency by President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, would be put to appropriate use for the good of the agency and the delivery of the mandate of the agency.

While noting that Nigeria needed unions like RATTAWU to further promote growth, he expressed his willingness to work with the union as family.

The VON boss stressed that the agency would soon restore its long-dormant 250KW Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmitter.

“This will enable a return to shortwave broadcasting for the first time in over a decade. Once operational, VON will reach audiences across Africa and beyond.”

He also enumerated the various achievements under his almost two years of tenure.

This, he said, included breaking the jinx of hosting staff retreats, training on artificial intelligence, international partnerships with China, Tanzania, Egypt, etc.

“I want to emphasise on our strategic focus on people, platform and partnership.

”I am confident that with shared purpose and responsible leadership, VON will rise to become a world-class public broadcaster that Nigeria will be proud of.”

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Speaking earlier, Mr Kalu, also known as ‘Magic Fingers’, said he and his executive members came to VON to add more vigour and value to the union’s voices.

He commended Mr Ndace for what he described as purposeful leadership in VON, adding that RATTAWU would like to use engagement and strategic partnership to redefine the process of collaboration.

“We have come to share with you that we need the synergy.

”We are all standing for one; let’s stand together, let’s allow love to continue everywhere, because, if you love yourself, you will also love your job.

“Once we share this love, you will not think of doing the wrong thing. We will disseminate proper information,” he said.

(NAN)