Aide applauds Ayade on payment of salary, pension

Special Adviser to Governor Benedict Ayade of Cross River State on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, has commended the state government on prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

This was in a statement he issued in Calabar yesterday in reaction to reports that a newly appointed aide to the governor, Freeman Godwin, was rescued on Monday from committing suicide over non-payment of his salary.

“Governor Ayade does not joke with payment of salary and this despite the fact that besides being the least revenue-earning state from federal allocation, Cross River is highly indebted too.

“It is on record that political appointees and civil servants collect their salaries between 21 and 27 of every month, and this is done simultaneously with payment of pension,” he said.

Ita explained that Ayade has over 6,000 appointees, employed 5,000 civil servants and recently engaged about 20,000 workers at the local government level and they are all paid promptly every month.

He, however, added some persons who were appointed in November last year have issues with their pay roll, which he said, was an administrative matter.

“It is, therefore, uncharitable of anyone to make certain unsavoury insinuations based on that,” he added. Godwin, who hails from Obudu Council as Governor Ayade was appointed in November last year and so far, he has not been paid alongside most appointees that were engaged the same time with him. He had attempted suicide in the Office of the state Auditor General where he works, but was rescued by his colleagues.