By Simon Komakech
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Felista Group of Company, the mother company of Voice of Lango FM LTD, Felix Okot Ogong, has written to his radio manager over alleged fraud and intimidation of staff.
The lawmaker’s letter followed an October 29, 2021 petition by his radio staff, accusing Richard Ekotu, of fraud and intimidation, among other ‘crimes’. The staff moved a step ahead and suspended Ekotu until further notice.
Read our earlier story: https://kampalagazette.com/2021/11/04/staff-riot-mp-ogong-radio-staff-lock-manager-out-of-office-over-fraud-intimidation/
Acting on this letter, Ogong, also Dokolo South Member of Parliament, on October 30, 2021 wrote to Ekotu, to respond to issues raised in the petition “as soon as possible”
MP Ogong’s letter in full
Ekotu Richard
Station manager voice of lango FM Ltd
Lira, Uganda
30/10/2021
REF: ACCUSATION AGAINST YOU BY VOICE OF LANGO STAFF.
I am in receipt of a petition/accusation letter against you by the staff of Voice of Lango accusing you of a wide range of issues they claim have affected them in various ways, thus curbing their productivity and general performance at the station.
The principle of natural justice entails a right to fair hearing and rule against bias and that both parties be heard. Considering the fact that the majority of the staff have signed the petition/accusation against you, this matter should thereof be resolved expeditiously.
The purpose of this letter is to request you to respond to the matters/ issues raised in the petition as soon as possible.
By copy of this letter, I appeal for calm and normalcy at the station as we address the matter.
Chairman/ CEO,
Voice of lango FM Ltd
The Gazette is in possession of Ekotu’s response to Ogong’s letter.
Ekotu’s letter
30th October 2021
The Director
Voice of Lango Fm
Lira Uganda
Dear Sir,
Ref: Response to the accusation against me by Voice of Lango staff.
In regards to the above subject, I received your letter dated 30th October requesting me to write my response regarding the issues raised by the staff in their petition.
I want to thank you for giving me also an opportunity to respond to the issues raised by some staff against me.
1.They say I threaten them, intimidate and abuse; I want to say this is not true and for the last seven years of work with Voice of Lango if this was true I would have not manage to work with them instead I guide them in the process of their work.
2. Fraud of Businesses and commissions; this issue of taking over commission that belongs to the staff members is also not true. I only give commissions to people who deserve commission and the list is always sent to the Directors and these are the people who have followed their businesses to the dot.
They allege that, i have used the money for commissions for the following people;
1. Orebe Ramos- National Identification and Registration Authority. This was about two years back when orebe informed me about the business he did not get back to me with payment proof neither ask me to request the director who is allowed to access the account to confirm whether the payment was done or not. Honestly i never received any commission of NIRA being paid to me, if he has evidence that I received the money and did not give him, kindly let him produce.
2. Apio Peace Bridget- Raising Voices, National Drug Authority and Uganda Bureau of Standards.
She claims Raising Voices is her business but Richard Okodel is the one who has been handling that account from all along and he gets the commission not me, find attached the copy of the contract Okodel signed. NDA I asked Apio to follow it up and furnish me with details she did not and I did not get commission for that including Uganda Bureau of standards. It was difficult for me to know how much it was paid.
3. Richard Omara Awio- Bank of Africa. It was about three years back Richard informed me about a business in Bank of Africa and they asked as to submit a proposal to their office in Kampala, then I informed Richard okodel to handle it and okodel wrote the proposal and submitted and later when the business came on Okodel took over the account of Bank of Africa and he is the one getting commissions not me and I even told Omara Richard all this, I am again surprised he is accusing me.
4. Aliga Sam-Gloford. This is also not true that gloford was for Aliga, the CEO Gloford Chris Ongom called me to his office and we agreed with him and even sealed the business worth 800,000/=, later on Aliga also started saying that he was in touch with someone in Gloford and that is when I had already sealed the deal. I have given Aliga his commission of East African seeds and Syvo Seeds whenever he brings business, so, Gloford was not negotiated by Aliga has he claims.
5. Joe Olal-SNV. Olal got commission for SNV Lira that he brought, but the SNV Kampala I am the one who discussed with the person and even invoiced and he wanted to take that one which even him he knows he has no hand in it.
6. Achai-TUI. I don’t know TUI may be if he could put it in full, but what I know I have been giving Achai his commission whenever he brings business.
7. Bill Oketch-Wish to Action. Honestly wish to Action is not for oketch instead someone asked him for my number from and that person is from Wish to Action. If I am to ask how much does oketch demand and how much business did he bring? I want to give an example here, When Patrick Ebong left Voice of Lango he continued bringing business from Transparency international to the station and I gave him his commission the last time honorable gave money for commissions.
8. Signing commissions for walk in business like Uganda Railways, Kwania, National population council and NRM. This is not true, I am the one who changed that tendency when I joined Voice of Lango. Uganda Railways I got it through a friend and advised the person to come and pay and
I even alerted the accounts about this, Kwania not true, National Population council not true I even went up to Kampala to follow the same business then later on I told Richard Okodel to sign on my behalf find attached the MOU. NRM I personally followed this until it was paid for the first time otherwise what was happening before, someone would come and pick the invoice from the station and it will never be paid, so this was not a walk in business.
9. Trading Insecurity, blackmail and being an agent of foreign interest. I do not understand this.
10. Conserving rigid radio programming. This is not true because our programs have changed from the time I started work with Voice of Lango and they are still changing based on the listeners taste.
In conclusion I have been viewed as a non Langi by them, who does not deserve to manage them and they have said this openly to me, therefore I don’t deserve to work here and because I have been keen on the issues of misusing the company money and some of them are culprits, the reason they say I should go away so that they do their things when I am not there. I humbly pray for your technical guidance in resolving this matter and I should also raise the issue of my security to you sir, that some of these staff members are armed with Guns.
Yours sincerely
Ekotu Richard
Station Manager Voice of Lango.
