TheCable

Artists on the payroll of Radio Nigeria, Atlantic 104.5 FM, Uruan, Akwa Ibom state, on Thursday shut down the station over accumulated salaries.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions: ‘The artists of Atlantic 104.5 FM want the release of our February 2016 to January 2017 salaries, Else there will be no broadcast’, ‘Pay us our 11 months’ salary, we are very hungry’.

Other inscriptions include: ‘We the artists of Atlantic 104.5 FM want our 11 months salaries’, ‘We have been patient enough, pay us 11 months’ salary now’.

Asuquo Ekpo, spokesman of the protesters, told NAN that the management had been holding on to their salaries for inexplicable reasons.

He said the management of the station was not fair to the plight of the artists who had work tirelessly to make the station functional.

“How can we be working for 11 months without paying us salary? We have waited patiently enough and that is why we have decided to shut down the station,” he said.

“We are calling for the removal of the zonal director of the station because artists in Port Harcourt had been paid and we don’t know why we have not been paid until now.”

He called on patriotic Nigerians and other stakeholders to intervene and ensure that they were paid their entitlements.

Some staff of the radio station, artists and industrial attachment personnel were seen roaming outside the office premises.

Some workers were seen eating in the cafeteria of the station, while some are discussing the issue in hush tones.

Reacting to the development, a senior management staff of the station, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the zone was indebted to the artists.

He commended them for the peaceful protest, saying that the management will address their plight.