By Our Reporter
Magistrates in Cross River have protested against non-payment of their 24 months salaries at the Governor’s Office in Calabar.
Chief Magistrate Court of Odukpani, Safiya Ashipu, who protested along with her two sons and 29 other magistrates, carried placards with inscription such as: Your Excellency, I Have Not Been Paid For Two Years, Please Pay Me, while her sons placards read: My Governor, You Have The Power To Help Change Our Lives For The Better and Please Pay Our Mother Her Two Years Salary, among others.
The magistrates, including 11 from Obudu, where Governor Ben Ayade hails from, were drawn from the 18 council areas of the state.
They blocked the second gate of the Governor’s Office carrying placards with inscriptions such as: No Bliss, No Blush, Cross River State Magistrates In penury, We Have Right To Employment and Ayade Pay Us, among several others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief Magistrate of the Cross River State Government, Solomon Abuo, said the protest was necessitated by government’s failure to pay their salaries in the last two years.
“We demand that our 24 months salary be paid immediately, otherwise we will continue the protest and stop sitting in courts until we are paid,” he said.
