No plan to sack or retrench workers in Ondo state ―State govt

THE Ondo state government on Thursday has refuted the allegation that it was planning to reduce the size of workforce or retrench the workers of the state Radio and television station.

The Head of Service in the state, Mr Toyin Akinkuotu, who gave the assurance in Akure during a meeting with the staff of the organization explained that the ongoing exercise was designed to reposition the station.

This is coming after the closure of the station for about three months while a probe panel was put in place by the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, to check the activities of workers in the station.

Workers in the establishment have been expressing fear and anxiety over the closure of the radio and television station for more than three months

But Akinkuotu said the indefinite closure of OSRC was to allow proper upgrading of equipment, saying that there would be a two day verification exercise for the entire workforce of the station to ascertain those who would be retained or redeployed.

The Head of Service disclosed that the governor had promised that no worker would lose his or her job at the corporation

He said that upgrading of facilities, verification and proposed redeployment of workers were parts of the governor’s mandate to ensure proper implementation of the report of a probe panel recently set by the government.

The state government through a circular said as part of the on-going repositioning of the OSRC for better service delivery,  has approved the procurement of standard modern digital equipment, extensive facility rehabilitation, general overhaul as well as strengthening the capacity to compete effectively with its pairs nationally.

According to the state government, the move is to get the station ready for global digital switchover compliance.

The circular signed by the Head of Service said government has directed a temporary closure of the station with immediate effect.