*NUJ Appeals to Wike to shelve plan, calls for negotiation
Eric Olusesan/Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has issued a 48 hour quit notice to AIT/Raypower Radio, at Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, remove its structures or face demolition.
In a quit notice issued signed by Mrs. Ebere Dennis Emenike, Permanent Secretary Rivers State Ministry of Works, on behalf of the State Government, dated Tuesday, March 21, said “Following the imminent commencement of GRA Phase 5 project the structures are impacting on the Right Of Way have been earmarked for demolition, including your own.
“Consequently, you are by this notice requested to remove Structures within 48 hours to allow for speedy progress of work”.
Sequel to the quit notice, the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has appealed to the Rivers State Government to drop its plan to demolish the transmission station of the African Independent Television (AIT)/Raypower Radio Station at Ozuoba, Rivers State.
The appeal is contained in a press statement jointly signed by the NUJ Chairman Stanley Job Stanley and Ike Wigodo, Secretary said the land on which AIT and Raypower Radio Station built its transmission station has been a subject of dispute between the Rivers State Government and Daar Communication Plc.
However, the Rivers State NUJ, appealed to the Rivers State Government to review its position on the land dispute and drop its plan to demolish and take over the AIT property.
The Council urged the state government to open a negotiation channel with the media organisation for a peaceful resolution.
The Union said that though it appreciated the State Government’s Urban renewal policy, it pleaded with the government to temper justice with mercy.
“We appeal to the Rivers State Government to review the quit notice given to Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Raypower Radio Station.
“The Press and the Rivers State Government have come a long way as partners in progress. We believe that proper negotiation and peaceful resolution of the land dispute will serve the Government and people of Rivers State better.
“Whatever the merit of the quit notice by the Rivers State Government to Daar Communications Plc, we would not want the world to see the Press in a fight with the Rivers State Government in view of our long standing mutual relationship.
“NUJ will not be happy to see a Media House in Rivers State been demolished over a land dispute that can be resolved peacefully and amicably”, the statement said.
Our Correspondent recalls that trouble actually started when some host communities of Ozuoba wrote a petition to the Rivers State Government alleging that a large expands of land acquired by the Founder Daar Communications PLC, owners of African Independent Television, AIT/Raypower, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, during the administration of former Governor Peter Odili was allegedly being sold or liased to private developers.
Our Correspondent reports that the Rivers State House of Assembly had a probe on the mode of acquisition of the land and allegedly found out that acquisition did not
pass through due process.
However, political observers are interpreting the brouhaha to political disagreement between the ardent supporters of Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of PDP, and Governor Wike. Dokpesi is an devoted supporter of Atiku.
Meanwhile, panic has gripped the staff and management of the broadcast outfit on the impending demolition.