Andy Esiet, Calabar
…As Ayade Lifts Embargo on Promotion
Ahead Saturday’s gubernatorial elections, the organized labour in Cross River State has endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Cross River, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu as its preferred choice.
The endorsement was announced today by the labour leaders during a courtesy call on the state governor, Senator Ben Ayade at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar.
The immediate past State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ben Ukpekpi said the organised labour visited the governor to intimate him of their choice in the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.
According to him, the organised labour cannot be insulated from political choices and participation because workers suffer more from bad governance.
The organised labour in Cross River, he said, “believes in equity, justice and fairness and we want it to reign in Cross River. That is why we support power shift to the Southern Senatorial District and for Senator Bassey Otu to be governor.
“During elections, we have never let you down and will not let you down this time too, therefore we key into the Back to South mantra and Otu for governor “.
Speaking further, Comrade Ukpekpi said: “So, Your Excellency, today we are not here for negotiations or for any labour related issue, we come here today to inform you that we wholeheartedly endorse Senator Otu as next governor of Cross River state. Like you, we know that Senator Otu will be a labour-friendly governor.
“I will want to say here that on two occasions Senator Otu visited the organized labour, so we believe in him and we endorse him”.
Responding, Governor Ayade expressed delight that the organised believes in and supports the principles of justice, equity and fairness.
According to him, “the NLC, TUC, all the various labour associations have a responsibility to guarantee that fairness justice and equality is not only done but seen to be done and that every single material person has the responsibility to guarantee that he is bound speak to the principles of equity.
“What is equity in this circumstance is that the Central and Northern senatorial districts have taken their turn in producing governor and that it is now the turn of the South. It is therefore, imperative that all of us support the back to South agenda.
“The endorsement of back to South principle therefore, means that everyone of us cast our votes for Senator Bassey Otu, who is the incoming governor.”
Meanwhile the governor has extended teachers retirement age by 5 years as he lifted embargo on promotion.
Ayade who announced this today during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT on him in governor’s office, Calabar, said teachers deserve premium welfare as moulders of leaders of tomorrow.
He said, “teachers are the conscience of the nation, they are the moulders of leaders of tomorrow, so, for us in Cross River, teachers deserve premium welfare.
“To this end, teachers retirement age is hereby extended by five years. Embargo has also been lifted on promotion. Similarly, all promoted teachers will henceforth start earning salaries commensurate to their positions.”
The Cross River state governor explained that in the last eight years of his administration, he made teachers welfare, including prompt payment of their salaries, a priority, pledging to clear all outstanding issues affecting them before leaving office.
Earlier, Chairman of the Cross River chapter of NUT, Gregory Olayi, described the governor as teachers-friendly and expressed gratitude to him for finding time to host them.
On his part, the Special Adviser to the governor on Education, Comrade Castro Ezama said the teachers came to express gratitude to Governor Ayade for his benevolence and pro-teacher policies.
