By Aiyeku Timothy
Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, has disclosed that the government will not pay civil servants their January salaries anytime soon.
Ayade, through the State Accountant General, Mr Joseph Adie, in a broadcast on Cross River State Broadcasting Cooperation said that the delay in payment is due to breakdown of computer systems used for the payment of salaries.
“The state government will not be able to pay the January 2021 salaries soon. It will suffer some delays due to technical breakdown of the systems,” he said.
Adie, while speaking, pleaded with civil servants in the state to understand and exercise a bit of patience as the government is making positive efforts to resolve the issues.
Meanwhile, about 30 Cross River State magistrates have protested against non-payment of their 24 months salaries at the Governor’s Office in Calabar.
Chief Magistrate Court of Odukpani, Safiya Ashipu, who protested along with her two sons and 29 other magistrates, carried placards with inscription such as: Your Excellency, I Have Not Been Paid For Two Years, Please Pay Me, while her sons placards read: My Governor, You Have The Power To Help Change Our Lives For The Better and Please Pay Our Mother Her Two Years Salary, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief Magistrate of the Cross River State Government, Solomon Abuo, said the protest was necessitated by government’s failure to pay their salaries in the last two years.
“We demand that our 24 months salary be paid immediately, otherwise we will continue the protest and stop sitting in courts until we are paid,” he said.
