By EXCLUSIVE! How Lagos Lawmakers Walked Out Steve Ayorinde Over Poor Handling Of Lagos Television
Though all looks good from the outside, BlackBox Nigeria can confirm that the former Commissioner for Information, Steve Ayorinde has run into troubled waters over how he handled activities at Lagos Television (LTV 8) while he was at the helms of affairs.
A source in the know who confided in BBN on the condition of anonymity disclosed that Mr Ayorinde before being transferred to the State Ministry of Culture and Tourism did run the LTV 8 aground as the station has become a shadow of itself. The source disclosed that the Centre of Excellence owned station lacks functional operational vehicles as staff have been subjected to use old and rickety official cars not befitting of LTV 8’s status.
Also, it was disclosed that there’s no functioning Outside Broadcast (OB) Van, thus denying the station the capacity to go digital as it is the case in the broadcasting industry. To crown it all, Mr Ayorinde allegedly approved recruitment of some staff without following the State Public Service Rules. It was learnt that the Station became over staffed that it soon started affecting the revenue generated.
In addition, BBN reliably gathered that the pensions of the staff have not been remitted for close to 3 years, which is a total violation of the Pensions Law. All these anomalies bedeviling the TV station compelled the Lagos State House of Assembly to wade into the matter and summoned Mr Ayorinde.
The probe however, didn’t go well as the lawmakers reportedly asked him to leave the Chambers as he was unable to account for the 2017 budget allocation of the TV station. BBN gathered that the probe was held earlier in January 2018 before the cabinet reshuffle was approved by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
As at the time of filing this report, BBN confirmed that Governor Ambode is yet to be fully briefed about happenings at the State-owned television station as the staff are concluding plans on an industrial action which they plan to use to brief the Governor on the rot been experienced in the station.
