The workers in Cross River State, both Civil and Public Servants, have been urged to resume work on Monday, 5th August 2024, despite the ongoing nationwide hunger and bad governance protest.
This was disclosed by Obol (Dr) Innocent Eteng, Head of Service of Cross River State, in a statewide broadcast made available to CONVERSEER on Friday.
According to Eteng, there is no need for workers to protest because they don’t have any business with it.
He said workers have witnessed many missions taken by Governor Bassey Otu to ensure their welfare despite the financial deficit of the state.
“As the number one Civil Servant of Cross River State, it behoves me to make this clarion call to all Civil and Public Servants of the state that we do not have any business with the nationwide protest because for us in Cross River State, this is the season of sweetness.
“We’ve seen and witnessed numbers of missions taken by His Excellency, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, the Governor of Cross River State, to enliven, in fact, to ensure that the service is strengthened, to introduce welfare missions including the N40,000 minimum wage he had introduced even before the Federal Government came up with the N70,000 minimum wage.
“He has ensured that promotions are ongoing up to 2023 as he has approved. He has also directed that promotions have to be implemented up to 2023 – that is currently ongoing.
“Despite the financial difficulties Cross River State is facing, he (Otu) has recently approved N10 billion to be paid to retirees. We, therefore, do not have business with protest. The only thing we need to do is to appreciate His Excellency and shun vices that will impact negatively on the Cross River State economy,” Eteng said.
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Eteng also assured the workers that strict security measures have been taken to ensure their safety.
“My advice is that Civil and Public Servants should go to work as before. There is enough security, and officers have been on alert to ensure your safety. So, go to work, we do not have business with the protest, and as far as I am concerned, it is ill-intended,” he said.
The Head of Service also said protests attract hoodlums who take advantage and destroy government properties.
“Normally, when there is a protest, hoodlums definitely would want to take advantage and destroy government properties. I am therefore calling on security agencies to be on alert and Civil Servants not to be afraid to go to work. Go to work, report, you do not have business with protest.
“I am calling on all Civil and Public Servants in Cross River State that we do not have business to join the protest because it is negative, it is ill-intended, it is unwarranted, inappropriate, so, we should shun it,” he said.
Eteng also said President Bola Tinubu is undertaking massive measures to reduce poverty and hardship caused by the removal of subsidy, adding that a better way to agitate is through dialogue.
CONVERSEER reports that government and private establishments have been closed since the protest started on Thursday, 1st August 2024.
