Tensions are rising at the Delta Printing & Publishing Corporation (DPPC) as the National Union of Printing, Publishing, Products, and Paper Workers (NUPPPPROW) has issued an ultimatum to the Board of Directors, threatening to shut down operations.
A statement signed by Comrades Joy E. Fasindor, Clifford Obuseh and Fidelis Asuelimen, the union’s Chairman, Vice Chairman and Assistant Secretary respectively, said the workers are demanding that the Board adhere to the established procedure of shortlisting the three most senior officers for the position of General Manager (GM).
The Union stated that this practice was followed in the past two years, leading to the appointment of Mr. Sam Ijeh in 2023 and the current Acting GM, Mr. Godfrey Ubaka, who is set to vacate office on February 16, 2025.
According to NUPPPPROW, despite two letters earlier sent to the Board on December 10, 2024, and January 21, 2025, the Board has not responded to their concerns.
Instead, the Board, has scheduled a screening exercise for officers on Grade Levels 15-17, a move the union described as “a predetermined agenda” to manipulate the selection process and appoint a female Level 15 officer above her seniors on Grade Level 17 and 16.
“This development is unacceptable to our Union as it is not only strange but also susceptible to manipulation by people with vested interests in the Corporation,” the statement read.
The union insisted that the selection process should follow the legal provisions of the Delta State Printing & Publishing Corporation Law 2021.
It argues that any of the most senior officers, regardless of their union affiliation – whether from NUPPPPROW or the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) – should be considered for the GM position.
NUPPPPROW also alleged past unfair exclusions of its members from previous shortlists, citing the case of Deputy General Manager Festus Uzor, who was reportedly left out of the 2024 shortlist despite being more senior than some selected candidates.
One of the six key demands is that the Board must compile and submit the names of the three most senior officers and that the shortlist must reflect the true ranking of officers from both unions.
No officer should be unjustifiably excluded from consideration.
The GM must have at least four years of service left before retirement.
The Board must prioritize fairness and transparency.
In a separate letter addressed to the Honourable Commissioner for Information, the union expressed concerns about the Acting GM’s plan to screen over ten officers for the role, rather than maintain the precedent of selecting from the three most senior officers.
With the Board yet to respond, the union has made it clear that if its demands are not met, workers who belong to NUPPPPROW will withdraw their services at DPPC, until the Board Chairman addresses them.
As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on the Board of Directors to see whether they will meet the workers’ demands or risk industrial action that could disrupt operations at DPPC.
When contacted, chairman of board of directors, Chief Ebenezer Okorodudu, told Emerald News that he was busy in a meeting and that a later time he would reach out. But as at the time of filing the report he had not reached back to our organization.
