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17.10.2014 General News

Power Play At Metro TV Turns Dirty With Trading Of Blows

News Editor Attacks Accra Regional Correspondent
Eric AhianyoEric Ahianyo
17.10.2014 LISTEN

The timely intervention of some reporters led by Frank Nyonator of the Metro Television Newsroom saved the life of Metro TV's Greater Accra Regional Correspondent Henry Addo from the aggressive attack by his News Editor Eric Ahianyo.

The incident according to an eyewitness occurred when Henry Addo a Greater Accra Regional Correspondent entered the newsroom on Tuesday 14th October 2014 at about 2pm and with a humble smile greeted his News editor Eric Ahianyo at his desk where he was then editing some stories for the day.

But unexpectedly the News Editor, Eric Ahianyo, returned the greeting with a verbal attack, ''Hey you get out of the newsroom or I will drag you out myself''.

These words according to Henry Addo sounded strange so he taught it was one of the jokes hence responded with a surprise tone ''oh why''.

But for a moment Eric Ahianyo got up from his seat and pushed Henry Addo to walk out. He then held Henry Addo by his shirt and trousers and physically attacked him in the newsroom in the presence of other reporters in the Newsroom.

The verbal attack from the Metro TV News Editor, Eric Ahianyo drew the attention of other reporters and visual editors from the next door of the newsroom including the correspondent to the Presidency Frank Nyonator and Philip Okine, a Visual editor who came to the rescue of Henry Addo.

But this could not stop the actions of Eric Ahianyo rather as he persistently dragged Henry Addo out of the Newsroom, saying "I am doing this by my orders as boss."

When Henry Addo was contacted, he confirmed the attack and further revealed that Eric Ahianyo has been his best friend since 2006 in Metro Tv until Henry started his investigations on the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital corruption saga which indicted Godfred Ahianyo, brother to his News Editor Eric Ahianyo.

According to Henry, prior to that, he advised Eric Ahianyo to caution his brother who was caught in a conflict of interest position and unlawful payments of some allowances to Godfred Ahianyo as a Director and doubled as a Board Member under the leadership and board chairmanship of Eddie Annan.

This, according to the revelation of Henry Addo, is what broke the camel's back to break the long-lasting friendly relationship between him and Eric Ahianyo.

He said, on that fateful day before he was attacked by his News editor Eric Ahianyo in the office, he had lodged a verbal complaint to the Human Resources Director of Metro Tv who advised him to put it into writing to be tabled before management of Metro Tv.

He said, even though he works under Eric Ahianyo as his boss and acknowledges him as such, Eric's attitude towards him has completely changed ever since he picked up an investigation on his brother Godfred Ahianyo in the Korle-Bu corruption saga.

He further recalled that Eric Ahianyo personally ordered a publication against him (Henry) on Mtero Tv where he works and upon interrogation by Henry, Eric stated that "I did that to personally to tarnish your image."

All efforts by Henry Addo after it had been broadcast on an evening news item to retrieve a copy of the story, even though he works there has proved futile as the visual editor, Stanley Blewu confirmed that the story had been deleted completely from the system, so as not to have any evidence to support his (Henry) claim that his new editor Eric Ahianyo personally ordered the story to be published against their worker.

According to Henry Addo, Eric Ahianyo attacked him verbally during a Staff durbar in the studio when he (Henry) raised concern over allowances of Regional Correspondents outside the Greater Accra Region, especially those in the North.

Furthermore, an alleged bribery scandal set up and planned at the Coffee shop at Labonne against Henry Addo to drop the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Investigation stories backfired.

He finally revealed that, he has been on contract as a Greater Accra Regional Correspondent for Metro Tv since 2006 even before Eric Ahianyo was employed as a colleague reporter at Metro Tv.

Henry Addo also revealed that stories he files for broadcast were denied airing and editing by Eric Ahianyo after realizing that Henry's investigations have exposed his brother to the extent of dissolving the Korle-Bu Board, where his brother made his daily bread.

He noted that he will seek legal advice on all issues surrounding his attack in the Metro newsroom by Eric Ahianyo, his boss after writing officially to the Human Resources Manager.

Mohammed Saani Ibrahim
Mohammed Saani Ibrahim

Journalist/reporter at The Accra TimesPage: MohammedSaaniIbrahim

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