Efio-Ita Nyok|20 February 2016|5:56am
The Executive Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, has again demonstrated that the prompt payment of salaries of civil servants in his state is of utmost priority. Remember that at the inception of his administration last year, he promised to be paying workers' salaries on the 25th of every month.
The governor reportedly paid February, 2016 salaries yesterday, Friday 19 February. This sounds unprecedented. According to Emmanuel Ulayi, Personal Assistant (PA) -Media, to the Governor 'Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has paid the February, 2016 salary to workers in the state. In December 2015, salary of the state workers was paid on the 15th of the month, and the January 2016 salary was equally paid on the same date'.
While this gesture has incited happy responses from Cross Riverians, it has also provoked some critical tones. What follows, is a cross section of the feelings of Cross Riverians to the news:
Charles Ekanem:
'Amazing as Gov Ayade pays workers February salary on the 19th. GOD BLESS CRS GOVERNOR.'
Ifere Paul:
'15th-15th is one full month. So, what's spectacular about that? The salary is late by 4 days considering that he paid on the 15th of January'.
Owai Obo:
'Cross River State government pays civil servants February salary today 19/02/2016
#GovAyadeisWorking
#WorkersWelfareIntake'
Iyam-Optimist Victor Edodi:
'It is important that the state Government make the payments of gratuity to retirees and stipends to CRS students overseas'.
Emmanuel Okon Efiom:
'Am aliving witness'.
Queensley Offiong Bassey:
'Stress it that State government workers are paid not local government workers'.
Alice Echu Efut:
'Wht abt pensioners brother'
Efio-Ita Nyok:
'Civil Servants – paid, pensioners – not paid, diaspora students – not paid, LGAs workers – not paid, Governor's aide – not paid, What type of payment is this called?'
Raphael Inongho:
'What happens to local government workers. He Ayade should knw that the majority of civil servant's are at the local government level. Who is deceiving who? Councillor's under Ayade's government cannot pay their house rent. So shameful.'
From the observation made above, state civil servants constitute a minuscule fraction of civil servants in the Cross River State. Governor Ayade is not interested in the other people.
For instance, pensioners retirement benefits are yet to be paid. Barely two weeks ago they embarked on a protest. Local Government Area staff have not been paid either. Diaspora Scholars are stranded because of the failure of government to pay their stipends for as far back as 2012. Again, persons with disabilities had held this town captive this week when they cited government neglect and insensitivity. It's even rumoured that Gov. Ayade is yet to pay his aides and uncountable political appointees.
Why the above set of workers and beneficiaries have not been paid is mysterious especially considering the fact that the present administration had borrowed the N7 billion or there about intervention fund from the federal government which was primarily meant for payment of salaries. Again, it's been rumoured that Ayade had borrowed the sum of N50 billion for whatever.
HE has the largest fleet of cars and a bloated Executive Council in the whole of Nigeria if not Africa as a whole. His policies are larger than life. Critics have decried these incongruities yet the state chief executive officer insist that he inherited a state with so much potentials.
I am calling on the entire government of Cross River State comprising the three arms of Executive, House of Assembly and Judiciary to make a review of the public policy thrust of the present administration. They should begin to talk of involving policies that are citizen friendly. The earlier the better for the embattled PDP.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
