Efio-Ita Nyok|14 May 2016|11:06am
I response to Princewill Odidi's 'Governor Ayade Re-consider your Decision on Sacked Sweepers…', where the Cross River born, Atlanta based Development Consultant called on the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, to recall the 250 sacked Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA), a lot of Cross Riverians have registered their discontent through his social media thread. What follows is an excerpt of Odidi's article and a cross section of what indigenes of the state said:
Princewill Odidi
CALABAR street sweepers sacked for public demonstration requesting unpaid salaries. Has public demonstration becoming an offense that warrants a sack? For every woman sacked for performing a very degrading job just to put food in the table leaves a child hungry while in school, a sick child would not access hospital, some homes may not be able to afford kerosine for light.
While it maybe so easy to pronounce them sacked, for some, you have destroyed those homes. These same women that stood all day in lines to vote the regime in power are easily sacked for a public demonstration?…You do not flex muscles with the poor and downtrodden, His Excellency Sir, pls instruct your aides or the employers to revert this decision.
This can be anyone's mother, aunty or sister, waking up at 5am with little or no time to get their kids ready for school just to sweep other people's dirt to earn a living. Most of these women go all day and night without food or rest.
Temper Justice with mercy. Effect an immediate recall. We know you will do the right thing. We the people are watching.
Mary Joe Ayang
This is totally unacceptable, the government is hard less and cruel . Second tenure is by the corner and they'll want these same women to vote them into office, ah May God have mercy on them.
Rosemary Agabi
11 Months Salary Arrears? How much is their salary that they are being owed for eleven whole months, how do their employers expect them to feed their families ? No salaries for 11 months and yet their employers feel embarrassed by their demonstration? This is inhuman, shameful and unacceptable. What is our society turning into? Is the governor aware of this?
Joseph Odok
Unimaginable things can only happen in this administration
Echaka Maureen Agabi
I have read through the Cross River Watch & I'm actually short of words knowing how hard these Women/Mothers suffer daily sweeping to keep the city clean.There are many reasons why these women should not even be owed a day's salary talk less of 11months.
(1)These women are exposed to various dangers like accidents,rape,health hazards etc & in an ideal working environment,these women apart from their salaries are meant to be paid hazards.
(2)These women to me are some of the most hardworking & dedicated staff to their duties.Some of them resume their sweeping positions as early as 4:30 am & leave only when the streets are clean. How many civil servants do these
(3)The amount paid to these women is so inadequate yet they are so dedicated to their work.Some 3 years ago,I knew they were paid just merger #5000 & yet their salaries weren't coming in as at when due.
(4)My next is a question.Why have these women not been paid the basic minimum wage promised by the government?This is rather unfortunate & disheartening knowing the suffering/plight of these poor vulnerable women.Please as a matter of urgency,the women should be recalled & even compensated for their hard work seeing that the city of Calabar is clean today because of their effort.
Abam Johnson
Might is powere injustice pay only the poor that complain. For him is right if it was to be her mother, aunty, sister, cousin etc would he sacked people who did a menial job for 11 months without been paid.
He did'nt considered how they were surviving. Leaders are just heartless doing any how to their subjects. What is he saying about the garment factory he divert to himself God is watching u people.
Eno Beke Ikwen
Many of them get run over by vehicles. Such a risky Job and someone will still sack them for demanding their wages? how wicked can we get?
Emmanuel Herbert
This is morally bad…let leaders not act as God pls.
Sunny Ntui
11 months without pay? Yet doing their jobs most times without food, why won't they protest, and all they get is sack. Man's inhumanity to man. Little wonder when God steps in, we find the rich also crying.
Please hear this, "when another man cries and you fail to listen, you will also cry and nobody will listen"
Efio-Ita Nyok
… And where is the placement of the phrase: 'Politics with ethics', in the Ben Ayade led CRSG? House of Assembly, over to you!
Godwin Undie
dat is very bad n heartless, who Eva advice him on dat does not like him. dis women re doing dat to manage with their families, 11months without pay alone makes u heartless ,let alone sacking them. very bad, don't 4get d risk dey experience everyday with different kind of driving with reckless drivers.
I thought it's barely a month or so that Gov. Ayade was declared 'the labour friendly Governor'? Or, are staff of CUDA not part of labour? Don't they render service to the state? Is CUDA a private estate as the Garment Factory is perceived to be?
I am joining voices with well meaning Cross Riverians in calling on the governor of Cross River State to recall the 250 women working with CUDA, who were relieved of their appointments on the basis of asking for their pay of 11 months. It's morally and politically unethical to muzzle the ox that plough the field.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
