GBC Staff Stage Aluta

WORKERS OF the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), in Brong Ahafo are demanding the immediate removal of their Regional Director, Victor Appeah, for his alleged gross misconduct and poor administrative style. The call, according to the workers, is to ensure the smooth operation of the Brong Ahafo Regional branch of the GBC. �Our stance is borne out of our conviction that the way and manner the current Regional Director, Victor Appeah, is handling the region threatens the very existence of the GBC in the region�, the workers are quoted to have said in a petitioned addressed to the Director General of the GBC. The workers have in effect blocked the main road leading to the offices of the corporation and also put 24-hour surveillance on the regional director to prevent him from entering the yard. They said Victor Appeah has gradually succeeded in wrecking the fortunes of the GBC in the region. They were dressed in red attires with red bands, signaling their zeal to do everything possible within their reach to get rid of the regional director. The Unionize Secretary, John Sam-Arthur, explained to DAILY GUIDE that the action of the staff on Friday was to prevent the embattled director, who has been on leave, from resuming office until the management in Accra gives a positive response to their petition calling for his removal. Mr. Sam-Arthur indicated that the move was not to thwart the operations of the corporation, as all the departments were kept running to confirm that the action was not against the GBC but the regional director. They explained that during Mr. Appeah�s brief leave period, the corporation witnessed some signs of improvement in its operations. �The tense atmosphere that prevailed prior to his departure has eased considerably. Old clients the corporation has lost due to Mr. Appeah�s negative administrative style are trickling back upon hearing of his leave�, they noted. The workers have also prevented the Acting Director, Francis Gyan-Manu, from entering the office. This is to stop him from handing over the administration of the corporation to the beleaguered regional director. In a petition dated 30th December, 2009, jointly signed by the Vice Chairman of the workers union, Maxwell Owusu-Tawiah, Secretary, John Sam-Arthur and the First Trustee, Edward Amartey, it said Radio BAR, GBC�s FM Station in the Brong Ahafo Region, is currently �struggling to achieve the revenue levels it surpassed in the past�. They attributed this downward trend of the corporation�s revenue generation to the poor managerial style of the regional manager. The workers also accused the director of masterminding the illegal transfer of some key staff members, which they said has largely affected the smooth operation of the corporation. Also in the petition, workers indicated that Mr. Appeah has deliberately prevented all efforts by the staff to develop themselves academically in order to improve output. The petition further established that since the arrival of the regional director about two years ago, the man �has displayed a penchant for talking harshly to all manner of persons, causing disaffection for the corporation�. This includes the clergy, senior staff members and traditional authorities. Meanwhile, Mr. Appeah was not available for his reaction regarding the action of his workers.