Jonathan Ugbal
Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade’s directive to lock out civil servants who arrive work after 8:00AM is hurting victims of sexual, gender based and domestic violence who are seeking justice, reports reaching CrossRiverWatch say.
The Governor on Wednesday, repeated actions from his 2017 when he locked out the Secretary to the State Government and other staff for resuming late.
And, on Thursday, the directive went into full compliance with the Ministry of Social Welfare, an essential service ministry located less than 150 meters from the Governor’s office also locked preventing victims of sexual, gender based and domestic violence from seeking justice.
“The ministry houses the State office of the Child Protection Network, CPN, which has private sector participation but survivors are not being allowed inside right now,” a member, name withheld, told CrossRiverWatch moments ago.
Also, Kebe Ikpi, the State Coordinator of CPN said he arrived there with six survivors of Gender Based Violence, GBV but was not allowed in.
“We are not civil servants, why will he (Ayade) do that? should these survivors not access social services? We are contemplating on marching to the Governor’s office to demand that the office should be opened,” Mr. Ikpi said.
He later tweeted his frustrations and asked the Governor to revert his decision.
I am calling on the Governor to immediately instruct for the gates of the Ministry of Women Affairs and that of Humanity and Social Welfare to be open. GBV cases cannot be handled at the gate. There are better ways to handle late coming in 2022. @legitngnews
— Kebe Ikpi (@KebeIkpi) September 15, 2022
As at press time a victim who had an appointment with the GBV center arrived the office but was not allowed inside while the other six had left.
More details later…