Gov. Ayade will never stop surprising Cross Riverians with his ineptitude and misgovernment. Here comes another abracadabra!! This man wants to immediately start the employment of about 10,000 more workers spanning the areas of agriculture, health, security etc. as palliative to cushion the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.
How realistic can this farce become? If there has ever been a worst insincere Government in the history of mankind, I think it is this one.
It is in this very State that more than 2000 workers were unilaterally and unjustifiably removed from the pay roll since September 2019, plus many more unpaid workers since employment spanning the various ministries. 24th of March, 2020 was fixed for the verification of workers removed from the payroll for authentication and onward reinstatement following agreement with labour.
But the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted that exercise after so many people had travelled from all parts of the State, some travelling more than 700km to attend the exercise in Calabar, the State capital just to be told that it has been suspended indefinitely, incompliance with Government’s order for social distancing. Payment of oromotion arrears of all workers done since 2017 is still pending. Minimum wage which all States even with the smallest allocations have implemented is yet to be paid in Cross River State.
Would any sincere and reasonable Government not have started with clearing all this pending cases before dabbling into commencing fresh recruitments?
Among this new recruitment are to be 400 doctors, several nurses on higher salary scale, etc. A State that complained of a bloated wage bill which according to them, occasioned the unjustified removal of workers from the payroll, difficulty in paying promotion arrears and minimum wage has suddenly became a Bill Gate with enough liquidity to pay additional 10,000 workers?
Where is God please? We need you now to help our brother Governor get back his correct senses.
Mr. Pascal Omoji writes from Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
NOTE: Opinions expressed in this article are strictly attributable to the author, Pascal Omoji and do not represent the opinion of CrossRiverWatch or any other organization the author works for/with.