Unpaid 54 months salaries: NUJ leads Champion staff to protest

Sat, Mar 21, 2020
By publisher
2 MIN READ

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The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council on Friday, led former staff of Champion Newspapers to protest at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos, venue of 2020 Champion Newspapers Excellence Awards, over unpaid 54 months salary arrears.

The protest against the management of the Newspapers was led by Quasim Akinreti,  Council Chairman, as well as Sylva Okereke, national trustee of the Union.

As the protest was going on, the management of Champion Newspapers threatened to arrest the council chairman and his team of protesters, who were unperturbed over the threats by the police and management of the hotel.

The protesters claimed that Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, publisher of the Newspapers, and Nwadiuto Ihekanwa, managing director of the Company, have been very insensitive to the plights of the past and present staff of the company, as over 25 staff have so far died due to non-payment of over four years salaries.

It was gathered that despite selling the property of Champion Newspapers to Promasidor company for N2.5 billion, the heartless management refused to pay the over N100m owed to the staff.   Protesters were seen carrying placards with inscriptions,  “No Pay, no award!  Madam, You’re Wicked!! You have enslaved our members!!!

Others read in part, “Champion management you’re heartless! Pay us our money” and “Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu enslaved our members”.

It would be recalled that the 2020 Champion Newspapers Excellence Award was expected to attract at least two governors, including Governors Ayade and Ugwuanyi.

Other recipients  include, the chief executive of  Airpeace, the group managing director of Zenith Bank, Seplat and  Globacom among others.

– Mar. 21, 2020 @ 15:55 GMT |

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