Radio does not pay in Tamale… Say’s Fiifi Eshun

After working in Tamale as a radio presenter for a very long time without any positive results in his life, he decided to try his luck in Kumasi. Fortunately for him situation went well over there. I was in Kumasi last weekend and met up with Fiifi Eshun who was once an eminent presenter in Tamale, I could not believe the tremendous change in his living standard, so I tried to find out how he was able to make it over there. The first question I asked was why he left Radio in Tamale and moved to Kumasi. Fiifi : “ It is said that you will never know what you are missing elsewhere until you travel there. I left Radio in Tamale because it was not paying well. I worked day and night to attract business for my station. Yet, at the end of the month I was given a diminutive amount that could not even pay for my rent let alone feed me for another month”. Gaida Consult: what is the difference between Radio in Tamale and Radio in Kumasi? Fiifi: “Radio in Kumasi is well organized, the stations over here appreciate the efforts of their employees, not only financially but physically, In the sense that management respect their workers and praise them when it is necessary, this in turn makes the public appreciate and respect radio presenter and radio workers in general. It was not the same in Tamale”. Gaida Consult: How much are you paid monthly? Fiifi: “I can’t disclose that to you, however I don’t receive less than one thousand Ghana cedis(GH 1,000) a month. With the qualification I have if I am employed in a bank I will not be paid some petite sum that is what radio stations over here consider when paying their employees. A radio presenter is paid base on his/her qualification and the salary is good. Back in Tamale radio stations do not consider that, they give you anything and tell you to leave if you are not satisfied with it". Gaida Consult: What are your plans for the future? Fiifi: “I am satisfied with where I am now but I have not stopped learning and praying for more. I want you to consider the lives of Alhassan Suhiyini, Gaddafi, DJ Abdul and the rest their lives have changed as compared to when they were working in Tamale. I will suggest that management of radio stations in Tamale confer with management of radio stations in the south to help them improve the radio industry in Tamale". I had a good time with Fiifi Eshun who is now know as the International Man. I also think something has to be done with regards to the current tribulations of radio presenters and workers are facing in Tamale and northern Region as a whole.