By CrossRiverWatch Admin
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River state has said that people around the country, including many A-rated musicians today call him the ‘salary master’ and he accepts it because he cares for his people.
The governor also, yesterday directed the immediate payment of January 2017 salary to the state civil and public servants.
The governor gave the directive through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Mr Christian Ita.
Ita said the directive was in line with the governor’s promise to continue to place premium on workers welfare.
It would be recalled that the governor paid December salary to workers in the state on 1st of December 2016 to enable them prepare for the yuletide season.
The statement quoted the governor as recently saying that: “The truth is that the only way you can measure your progress and success as a leader in authority is by how much you have taken care of your people.
“In Nigeria today, they call me Salary Master including many A-rated musicians and I accept it because I care for my people.
“We are building the superhighway, the deep seaport and completed the garment factory to industrialize our dear state to reduce unemployment. But we must put food daily on our people’s tables. That is what informs the reason why I don’t joke with workers’ salaries.”
In the same vein, the governor has directed relevant agencies of government to compute the severance packages for the immediate past chairmen and Councillors of the 18 local government councils and 196 wards respectively as well as other past chairmen and Councillors whose severance packages have yet to been paid.
The governor in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant and Chief Press Secretary,Mr Christian Ita read in part:
“His Excellency, the governor of Cross River State has directed the computation of severance packages for the immediate past council Chairmen and Councillors and others before them”.
The Governor is known for prompt payment of salary to workers and public officers since he came into office in May 2015.