Locked out: Richard Ekotu
By Simon Komakech
Employees of Voice of Lango FM LTD have locked their Manager, Richard Ekotu, out of office.
The Gazette understands that Ekotu’s office was padlocked last week and to date, he is yet to set foot at the Lira main street based radio. His junior, Elvis Ajwika, is in charge in the interim.
According to a source, who for the purpose of this story we shall name Pfizer, the staff issues are that he does not pay commission on adverts and radio programmes sources by the staff.
This, Pfizer says comes with intimidation and abuse.
In an attempt to seek help, the staff on October 29, 2021 wrote to the Group (Felista Group of Companies) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who also doubles as Dokolo County South Member of Parliament, Felix Okot Ogong.
Read full letter below
The Director 29th Oct 2021.
Voice of Lango FM Ltd
Lira Uganda.
Ref: Fraud, Misconduct and abuse of office by Mr Ekotu Richard.
We the Staff and Employees of Voice of Lango, with due respect to your office would like to forward to you our Complains on the above named person Richard Ekotu who have been employed with Voice of Lango FM Limited as a Station Manager, the Complains are as Follows:
1 Threat, Intimidation and abuse of Staff we would like to inform your office that a number of Staff have face intimidation , threat and abuse from Mr Richard Ekotu in the course of their duty, these actions have led to quarrel , physical confrontation and assault , and therefore have left many staff served with un justifiable warning letters and suspensions.
These actions have affected Staff psychologically, anxiety and many psychosocial problems which are affecting them at work place, and therefore we request you to prevail on it.
2 Fraud of businesses and commissions. Many Staff Complain to having lost businesses which they have connected and would have signed commissions but Richard Ekotu with his powers as the station manager have taken over businesses which don’t belong to him and have signed their commissions.
Therefore the below listed Staff dearly request your office to prevail over the matter and help them recover their commissions which have already been taken from them.
1. Ramos Orebe – National Identification and Registration Authority.
2. Apio Peace Bridget – Raising Voices, National Drugs Authority and Uganda Bureau of Standards.
3. Richard Omara Awio –Bank of Africa
4. Aliga Sam – Gloford
5. Joe Olal – SNV
6. Achai Ferdinand – TUI
7. Bill Okech not our Staff – Wish to Action
Among others including signing commissions for walks in business like Uganda Railways, Kwania District , National Population council ,NRM among others. We think this is unprofessional and tantamount to absolute abuse of office.
3 Trading insecurity, blackmail and being an agent of foreign interest. We have realized that Mr Ekotu Richard is not only the manager of Voice of Lango FM Limited; he is also an agent of political and foreign business interest and therefore has ever protected his partners interest and therefore several staff have suffered his anger especially those who have crossed his trading zones hence Exposing staffs to risk.
4 Conservative and rigid radio programming. This has not just affected the station but also personnel employed to work at the station, the Radio continues to operate in very traditional rigid media broadcast principles hence affecting listenership.
Therefore as Staff and Employees of Voice of Lango we have resolved that we can no longer cooperate with Richard Ekotu in his position as the Station Manager and therefore have resolved to suspend him till further notice and with immediate effect.
In his absence we shall all commit ourselves diligently to our duties, protect the resources of the company and ensure that there is no interference with the station’s daily affairs as we wait for your intervention over the same.
We request your office to help us implement our resolutions for the betterment of the station.
Thanks.
The General Staff Voice of Lango FM Limited.
Cc The General Manager Felister Group of Companies.
Cc Richard Ekotu
Cc File.
