Simon Utsu|1 December 2017
Governor Ayade isn't someone I enjoy defending pro bono, this is because he hasn't lived up to the pre-2015 hype and expectation. That notwithstanding, his mandate is Northern Cross River's and Obudu's so I find it difficult keeping quiet on the sidelines when people criticise him for no reason viz when they try to drag his name through the mud in moments he should be getting carrot.
The governor paid civil servants their May salary on the 1st of May (workers day) and December salary on the last day of November. Two major points being raised by the critics are :
1) How do you expect the workers to survive in January due to the lengthy gap before their next pay and
2) Why pay people for work not yet done (a friend even quoted the Bible to buttress this point).
As for the first point, if people can blame the governor for financial recklessness on their own part, then they should also blame him when they can no longer impregnate their spouses. I mean! So the governor should also teach you how to plan your finances or how not to squander your wealth? Hmm…
And to the 2nd point. Isn't this much more commendable and professional than what Donald Duke did during his time when he made the entire December work free and still paid civil servants their full wages? You say the governor is paying people for work they've yet done but are you aware that most corporate organisations pay what is called "quarterly upfront"? At the beginning of every quarter, a bulk of your pay for that quarter is given to you (upfront) then you get a fraction of the remainder the next two months. That is to say, if your monthly salary is say 100,000 Naira, in January, you could be paid an upfront of 240,000 and then get paid 30,000 in the months of February and March. This is in line with global best practices and isn't in anyway unethical.
You people in Cross River don't know how Kogi, Osun and Bayelsa people salivate whenever they hear such news emanating from your state.
Simon Utsu
Is a Social Commentator
