The Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) is being criticised for its controversial practice of rehiring retired staff on contract appointments. This practice occurs despite the organisation’s significant financial struggles, resulting in noticeable stagnation among its employees.
Under the current management, BCOS has encountered severe challenges in fulfilling its basic financial obligations, such as the timely payment of pensions, staff salaries, and allowances. These payments have become increasingly challenging to manage, particularly after the corporation sold off all assets previously held in secure custody by successive management teams.
This decision, which management presented as essential to fund critical projects for revitalising the corporation, has not yielded the expected results; one year later, BCOS finds itself in a worse financial position than before.
As of now, BCOS has failed to disburse salaries and allowances for the month of June, while a substantial backlog of unpaid leave allowances continues to accumulate. The situation at the corporation’s outstations, Ajilete FM in Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun FM in Alaga, reflects this turmoil.
These stations are running minimal transmissions, and reports indicate that nearly all major clients have opted to withdraw their advertisements, frustrated by the lack of transmission of their adverts.
Moreover, staff members falling ill while on duty have become increasingly concerning. Those who fall sick must rely on their families for support. BCOS has shown an inadequate capacity to provide assistance or healthcare aid— a worrying trend for employees who face dwindling resources and irregular salary payments.
The quality of programming on BCOS Television and Radio has significantly deteriorated. This decline is primarily attributable to the exodus of experienced career officers and talented freelance artists, many of whom have retired or transitioned to other media organisations. The once-vibrant atmosphere of BCOS TV has faded, leaving it a mere shadow of its former self.
A visit to the station reveals a stark contrast to past years; the lively environment where creativity thrived has been replaced by desolation. Offices are struggling with power outages, rendering them nearly inoperable.
In contrast, the chairman’s office remains excessively air-conditioned— a stark disparity highlighting the inequities facing staff members who lack basic comforts like fans in their workspaces. This situation exposes employees to health risks, compounded by the stress of irregular salary payments.
The corporation is said to be hugely indebted to clients, vendors, cooperative society within and outside the work environment etc.
In this environment, the BCOS management has inexplicably opted not to reduce overhead costs. Instead, they are increasing their workforce by rehiring older, retired staff, while neglecting the recruitment of fresh talent from a pool of qualified freelance and contract workers who have already received training from the system.
This alarming trend has sparked allegations that the reappointment of retired staff might be an attempt to discredit Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration. Some believe the BCOS Chairman has submitted numerous requests to the governor that remain unanswered, leading to speculation that she may be intentionally provoking crises within BCOS to attract the governor’s attention and pressure him into meeting her demands. Critics have labelled this approach as a manifestation of administrative incompetence.
Already, there is growing tension and possibility of industrial crisis in the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State BCOS as some aggrieved members of staff have been venting their frustrations and anger over the alleged maladministration, incompetence and insensitivity of the Corporation Management with the recent recruitment of some retirees of the Corporation as Contract Staff with bogus pay despite the inability of the station to regularly meet her financial obligation to it’s normal regular staff.
Regardless of the motivations behind these choices, if the current trajectory persists, vibrant young professionals will continue to experience frustration and disillusionment, potentially driving them out of the system altogether. Meanwhile, deserving employees who rely on timely salary payments and allowances will remain trapped in a cycle of need and poverty.
This misguided policy not only stifles the career advancement of freelance artists and contract staff—who find themselves stuck for years without promotions—but also exacerbates the financial strain on the corporation. The prioritisation of hiring retired staff over supporting active employees amplifies the hardships faced by those striving to sustain their livelihoods in a challenging economic climate.