The Joint Union Congress (JUC) of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) has distanced itself from accusations of looting and stealing levelled against the General Manager of the National Theatre, Professor Sunday Enessi Ododo.
A communique issued after the unions’ joint congress on June 24 and signed by AUPCTRE chairperson Comrade Ogechi Ibeto and RATTAWU Chairman Augustine Agada contained its position.
Rather than accuse him of theft as alleged in a regional publication, the Union declared itself happy with the Theatre’s strides under Ododo’s leadership.
The Unions said they knew nothing about the allegations contained in the publication.
The statement read in part: “That the said publication is one-sided and does not represent the interest and opinion of the staff of National Theatre.
“That the entire workers of the National Theatre wish to distance itself from the publication because the publication is nothing but a fallacy and a figment of the writer’s imagination.
“That the workers of National Theatre have enjoyed industrial harmony and mutually beneficial industrial relations practice since the assumption of office of the new GM/CEO, Prof Sunday Enessi Ododo.
“That our Treasury Single Account (TSA) remittance has improved tremendously over and above what it used to be since the new Management came on board despite the ongoing renovation of the complex
“That the staff and Management of National Theatre will not tolerate any form of sponsored publication aimed at tarnishing the good image of the workers, the Management and that of the GM/CEO in the eyes of the public.
“That the general public should disregard the anonymous publication as it lacks merit, worthless and does not conform with the reality.
“That the entire workers remain solidly behind our GM/CEO, Prof Sunday Enessi Ododo for the progress of National Theatre.”
Ododo, a Professor of Performance Aesthetics and Theatre Technology in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Maiduguri, was appointed General Manager of the National Theatre last August by President Muhammadu Buhari.
