L-R: Ayade and Prince Abi
Efio-Ita Nyok|13 October 2016
Recently, the government of Mr Ben Ayade of Cross River had embarked on the payments of entitlements to civil servants and pensioners. However, it has also been learnt that some civil servants and pensioners were left out in the payments of financial entitlements. This has caused social commentators, critics, public affairs analysts, etc to speak against the trend. One of such commentators is Ogoja-born Prince Thomas Abi Jr.
Prince Abi revealed how he has received calls across the state in respect of the failure of government to pay them their entitlements. He used the occasion to make a case for the payment of the affected indigenes of the state. Excerpt:
'I have received calls from people in Ogoja, Mbube and Calabar lamenting over the non-payment of their salaries and pensions.The Local government workers and pensioners in the state are very bitter. From information reaching me some of them were not paid during the last salaries and pensions that was paid for the month of June and July', Prince Abi informed.
'I feel very bad that while some persons were paid others were not paid. I plead that they be paid.The last time some of our Local government pensioners and workers got their pay was in July and this is October. These people are weak, old, and most of them live on medications to survive', the renowned commentator confessed.
'The unavailability of their due entitlement is most unfortunate, it is heart breaking, and painful that they have to stay for over three months while in some cases 5 months before they get what is their right.
Prince Abi being a devout Roman Catholic proceeded to cite Biblical passages that frown against anyone including government to owe their staff:
Our workers and pensioners deserve their wages. Even the Holy Bible tells us so in 1 Timothy 5:18: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain", and " The worker deserves his wages."
'The Holy Bible also says in Deuteronomy 24 :14-5: “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin".
'I do understand that the government is experiencing tough times but in times of recession is when we should show love to workers in Cross River State.
'Please governor Ayade you have repeatedly said that no one is going to sleep with an empty stomach. Please Sir, your Local government workers and pensioners are sleeping with an empty. I plead that you pay them.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is the Publisher & Editor of NegroidHaven.org
