By Samba Mboob, Banjul.
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The Daily Observer is witnessing a dramatic decrease on its daily sales, as the paper continues to receive piles of returns from vendors, the Freedom Newspaper can authoritatively report. For the first time, in the paper’s history, that it is experiencing such a dramatic sales reduction. Sources close to the Observer Marketing Department said since the coming of Dida Halaki, an Ethiopian, the paper’s daily sales is on its dead ebb. The Observer insiders who wished to remain anonymous have accused Halaki of “corruption and abuse of office.” The insiders said the sacked Observer MD Saja Taal was far better than Halaki, who is using the Observer to pursue his economic fortunes.
Halaki, said the Observer insiders, is serving as Observer’s MD and Editor-in-Chief at the same time. This, they said, was a violation of the Company’s policies and the Labor Act. The insiders said there is no company policy, which says the MD can doubles as Editor-in-chief. The disgruntled insiders also accused Halaki of earning two salaries at the same time, without delivering the goods. For instance, they said, Halaki uses his office to insert pressure on the Observer Accounting office to release funds without proper documentation.
“During his short stay here, he had succeeded in intimidating everyone here, including his management team. He’s widely feared here. In most cases, Halaki would claimed to be acting on the directives of the President and as such he threatens people with sack if they failed to adhere to his orders. He as our MD is receiving two salaries. He’s paid for the position of Editor-in-chief and MD as well. We want the President to know about the injustices taking place at the Observer. A foreigner is treating our people with contempt. Halaki is holding everyone here onto ransom.” said the insider.
According to the Observer insiders, the statements recently published in the Observer, featuring the views of the Observer Management was Halaki’s own making. “ He asked Andrew, Ebrima Jaw Manneh, Pa Malick Faye and others to write about him so that the President can keep him here. Halaki is a dictator of the highest order. The picture Ebrima Jaw Manneh, Andrew, Pa Malick Faye and others tried to depict was far from the realities on the ground. None of them had talked about the paper’s economic situation. They centered their statements on Halaki, just to promote the man. Andrew was right, when he said everyone was alarmed by Halaki’s firing of staff. We are all reduced to “Halaki’s Jalibas.” You either kiss Halaki’s nasty xxxxx or he would fire you. Halaki has brought untold economic loss to the Daily Observer. We received hundreds of returns every blessed day from our vendors. The paper is no longer viable as it used to be. The President should consider replacing Halaki, so that the Daily Observer can comeback to its normal footings. No one is happy with Halaki’s work here. He is a hater and anti culture. He disrespects our women and hard-working reporters.” said a disgruntled Observer staffer.
The Observer insiders said besides the economic loss, Halaki brought into paper, the Daily Observer was also faced by lack of standard quality content. “ The paper’s content is so poor that many readers called to complain about some of the spelling mistakes in the paper. Halaki penned most of our editorials. He hates to see people correcting his mistakes. Stories authored by Halaki are poorly written and they lacked journalistic flavor. The paper’s standards are falling drastically. The Observer under Saja Taal was far better than what we are witnessing today. It’s a disaster. Many people have stopped buying the Daily Observer because of Halaki’s immature writings. His writings are too informal. He shows no seriousness in his editorials.” said an insider.
According to sources close to the Observer Marketing Department, the paper’s advertisement statistics had also reduced greatly in recent times. “ This paper’s future is bleak. As long as Dida Halaki, continues to be the Manager and Editor-in-chief of the Observer, nothing will work here. He does not have the ability and the know how to move this paper to higher heights. Halaki is self-centered. He’s not a team player. He gave out responsibilities without allowing Editors and Managers to do their job right. Ebrima Jaw Manneh and Pa Malick Faye are just there as caretakers. Halaki treats them anyhow he wants. He is creating all these positions just to cover his corrupt practices. In reality, Halaki is using our young ones to cover his economic crimes against Daily Observer Company. I’m a Management Member and I know what I’m talking about. Halaki is using the Observer to enrich himself. He is not better than our former boss Saja Taal. Taal was at least bringing editorial quality into the paper, unlike Halaki, whose main objective is to milk the paper’s ailing budget.” said the Observer Management Member.
Observer insiders said they were surprised by the appointment of Halaki, as the paper’s MD. “ He is an economic immigrant. Our accounting records speaks for itself. Halaki served as a freelance writer for the Observer. He left the UK out of frustration. He lost his teaching job and came to The Gambia. He used to struggle with Freelancers for pay here. It’s an insult for Halaki to come and disrespect us. He has been using the President’s name to collect money from our office. No one here dare challenge or question him. Many funds are leaving our accounting Department unaccounted for. They falsified invoices meant to settle reporters transportation and other expenses. They also falsified the MD’S expenses.” alleges the Observer insider.
Mr. Halaki, who is a naturalized Ethiopian British Citizen has also been accused of sexual harassment. “ He harasses girls in our computer room. Halaki has been acting strangely, which is making many girls in the computer room to be scared. He shouts at the top of his voice, whilst giving the girls orders. Most of these girls are so frustrated that they are even considering quitting their employment with the Observer company. Halaki is disrespecting our women folks. He dares treat women like this in the West, otherwise he would find his dump head in jail. God is punishing us for not accepting our own people. We used to say that Saja was bad, today, we have a manger worst than Saja. Halaki is heartless. He is full of hate.” said the Observer insider.
Attempts to reach Dida Halaki for comments proved abortive. He was said to be busy covering the Independence Anniversary celebrations.