In the past 45 days alone, almost ten influential staff members of Metro TV have resigned from the country’s third biggest Network, based in Accra. In separate chats with Hi Newspaper, most of the resigned members cited 'lack of proper structures' and 'increasingly bad working conditions' as reasons for not extending their commitment to the station hence the massive exodus.
Surprisingly, Heads of two of the most important departments at Metro TV quit at about the same time. William Asare and Mary-Ann Acolatse, Head of Production and News respectively have purportedly refused to renew their contracts which ended in December 2010.
Mary-Ann Acolatse, (who has prior to joining Metro TV worked as head of News at Joy FM and TV3) purportedly refused to renew her contract because “she was not comfortable with conditions at Metro TV”, she was said to have told a confidante.
Another top member of the Marketing Department, Lord Oware resigned in January.
Metro TV is run by Optimum Media Prime (OMP) Ltd who is believed to own 60% stake in the TV network with the remaining 40% [purportedly] belonging to the state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Company (GBC). This is reason enough to be concerned about development at Metro TV considering the ordinary tax payer’s interest in GTV's stake.
“The problems started way before the beginning of 2010”, a worker at Metro TV told Hi's Jeff Turkson. “We however thought things would get better with time, but they never did”, another, who pleads anonymity told Hi.
“Metro TV has no proper structures, there's not even a Human Resource Department hence almost all burdens of workers fall on the tables of Department Heads, a system which takes a huge toll on various heads, thereby reducing efficiency”, says a top management member as his reason for quitting Metro TV.
The major exodus started last year with the resignation of Mr. Ken Ashigbey, boss of OMP. Today, both the Labone and Ebony offices of Metro have been hit with the exodus as two important visual editors, camera crew and Journalists (reporters) have moved out.
Ken Ashiagbe has joined Multi TV as Hi gathers his ‘wahahala’ with Metro TV worsened as money owed him by the station was not forthcoming meanwhile management wanted him to renew his contract before he was paid; which he shunned. The departed Head of News, Mary-Ann has also joined the Kokomlemle based Multi TV.
Before the end of February 2011, Hi gathers, Metro TV C.E.O, Mr. Tallal Fatal's blood brother, Shalwki Fattal, who is currently the General Manager would be falling out as he has already announced his resignation to the boss.
A source close to Shalwki Fatal reveals that alleged agreement to secure him stake in Metro TV does not seem forthcoming. He is not happy and has told his brother he is leaving by the end of February”, Hi gathers.
Also Hi gathers that one of the ‘resigned’ is fighting corporate Metro T V for breach of contract in relation to demands by Metro TV that all who were leaving the company “should leave behind their cars”.
Mr. Tallal Fatal could not be reached for his comments and he has not returned this reporter’s sms requests- [his best mode of communication]. By Jeff Turkson and Linda Sarpong
