For two weeks now, listeners of Oxzy FM 98.5 might be wondering if the radio station is on test transmission again after operating on the Ghanaian airwaves for the past 10 years.
This is because all that has been happening on that wavelength since May Day, 2017 is music and occasional commercials.
The reason? More than 14 radio presenters including four newscasters and six attachment students have been suspended over a missing front office sofa.
For the past two weeks, the radio presenters, newscasters and the students on attachment have been asked to stay away from the premises of the radio station until they find the ‘three-in-one’ sofa which was at the front office of the station according to a story on Rainbow radio.
However, a few DJs are allowed to come to work to fulfill the station’s obligation wards advertisers. They play music and slot in the commercials but are not allowed to utter a word, in fact they have been gagged.
Narrating the issue to Showbiz, Mr Alfred Larbi, CEO of Oxzy FM, said he travelled to Kwahu for three days with some of his workers only to return to find the sofa at the front desk is missing.
According to Mr Labi, what made him angry and informed his decision to suspend some members of staff is the fact that no one seemed to care about the missing sofa until he asked of its whereabouts.
“Initially, the workers thought I was kidding when I told them to find the chair or they go on suspension.
“I joke with them a lot but I had to stand my grounds to take this decision for the welfare of the station”, he said
The CEO who doubles as a DJ said this is not the first time something has gone missing from the premises. “A whole stand-by generator went missing at the radio station some months ago. This cannot keep going on.” he added.
Asked if there were no security men responsible for the station, Mr Larbi said he will not blame it solely on the security men that is why he is suspending everyone.
To him, the decision to suspend the workers and students is to instill discipline at the station. “ I know people will say I am being mean to ask about 20 people to stay away just because of a common chair but if I don’t put a stop to it now who knows what next will vanish from the station”, he said.
When it was pointed out to him that he will lose revenue by his action, Mr Larbi replied he has no regrets because he needs discipline at his work place.
“I don’t really care what I am losing right now because discipline is my number one priority and until I get the chair back the presenters, newscasters and the attachment students will still be on suspension. For now, I have allowed a few DJs to play adverts but they cannot talk”, he added.
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