Ayade is first C'River Governor to approve double promotion for workers - Labour

Gov. Ben Ayade

The Cross River State chapter of the Joint Labour Negotiation Council have lauded Governor Ben Ayade for his labour friendly policies saying that he is the first Govervnor in the history of the state to approve double promotion for deserving civil servants.

The Council stated this yesterday when the new state executive committee of the  led by its Chairman, Comrade Julius Ngoji
paid the Governor a courtesy visit at his office in Calabar.

Ngoji who spoke on behalf of the executives
 also commended the Governor for keeping to his promise of prompt payment salaries and pensions since he assumed office in 2015.

He said that "We want to congratulate you for your re-election victory. Also, we commend you for keeping to your promise of promptly paying salaries and pensions. You've really been a labour-friendly Governor. It's on record that you're the first Governor in the history of this state to approve double promotion for deserving civil servants in the state".

The council however appealed to the Governor to look into providing imprest for MDAs as well as implement promotion arrears for workers.

Reacting, the Governor commended the labour union for the role played in his reelection at the last polls saying that their support was first of it kind in the history of the state.

Ayade promised to look into all the issues brought before him by the union even as he promised to continue to maintain his record of prompt payment of salaries.

"The issue of imprest, I've explained it over and over again. When people don't retire imprest how do you pay them another one? As technocrats, that's the rule. I've directed the Accountant General to pay imprest to all the MDAs that retire their last imprest.

"I want to reaffirm my commitment to prompt payment of salaries. We are not doing this because the state have enough money; when you talk of salary people will begin to talk about Paris Refunds but they have forgotten that for about ten months that Paris Refund didn't come, we were still paying salaries.

"We will continue with our policy on salary payment. We will pay salaries on or before 25th of every month. With or without federal allocation, we will continue to ensure workers don't sleep hungry".

The Governor also charged workers in the state to be discipline and hardworking adding that he won't tolerate any act of indiscipline by civil servants in the state.

He said that "I don't come to work late. Most times I wake by 4am to work at home till 11am because I've an office in the house but when I'm to come to the office, I come very early because I believe leadership is by example. Our workers must be discipline and committed to their jobs".