Cross River State
Cross River workers protest removal of names from payroll
Some civil servants whose names were removed from the payroll of the Cross River Government on Monday in Calabar picketed the state secretariat complex, demanding reinstatement. The protesters carried placards with various inscription such as “Ayade pay us our salaries, “No Trade Union in Cross River”, “We will protest until we are reinstated”, among others. It would be recalled that the state government in August 2019 removed the names of no fewer than 2,500 civil servants from its payroll. One of the protesting civil servants, Mr James Obeten, told newsmen that the situation had caused untold hardships in his families. “We were duly employed in 2015, and were given employment letters, it is very shocking that the government stopped our salaries since August 2019. “Without any reason, our...
ECOWAS Court set to resume from extended vacation on October 7
The ECOWAS Court will be resuming its activities on Oct. 7, after its three months vacation. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the media office of the justices. The court will deliver judgment in nine cases filed against eight some member states. It added that the cases were also filed against Nigeria’s Cross River State and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and listed in the latest course list released by the Registry of the Court for the period Sept. 25 to Oct. 28. According to the court, among those listed for judgment is a case filed by Counsellor Kabineh Muhammad Ja’neh, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia against the government. “The former Justice is challenging his removal from office on the grounds that i...
Cross River North: We have no anointed candidate – APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee led by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni has said it has no anointed candidate for the legislative by-election in Cross River North Senatorial by-election in Cross River State. Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena said the refutation was compelling against the backdrop of the allegation by a former presidential aide, “Chief Okoi Obono-Obla alleging an attempt to ‘foist’ a predetermined candidate in the forthcoming Cross River North Senatorial District by-elections. “There are no preferred, pre-determined or anointed aspirants.” Nabena further maintained that “under the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee, the party is already moving in a new and progres...
Cross River TUC denies bribery allegation
File Photo Officials of the Trade Union Congress, Cross River State chapter, have denied receiving bribe from the state government to back out of the strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress scheduled to begin on Monday. The state branch of the NLC through its chairman, Benedict Ukpepi, had declared an indefinite strike from Monday over unpaid gratuities, pensions, among other issues after the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the government. But the TUC branch in the state, as well as other affiliate unions, had said they won’t join the industrial action, noting that the timing – being amid the Covid-19 pandemic – was wrong. Speaking at a media briefing on Saturday, the State Secretary of the union, Ken Bassey, said, “Nobody has collected a dime from the government. And the TUC is ...
President Buhari authorises N19.67 billion for completion of East-West road
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N19.67 billion to ramp up efforts in completing sections I-IV of the East-West Road project by 2021. The presidential directive was part of efforts to address infrastructure deficit in the Niger Delta region and boost its economy. Mr Buhari had, in his Democracy Day address, said the funding of the sections of the road project would be duly released to better the lot of his people and would be followed by a forensic audit. “I am determined to ensure that development meant for the people of the Niger Delta get to them so I have authorised a Forensic Audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission,” the president said. The road project, which was first conceived in 2006 by the Obasanjo administration, was meant to be completed ...
PTF decries continued refusal by hospitals to treat patients for fear of coronavirus
The Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 (PTF) has decried the continued refusal by medical institutions including federal tertiary institutions to receive and treat patients for fear COVID-19. PTF lamented that this development has resulted in several unfortunate and avoidable fatalities. Meanwhile, the PTF will conclude its assessment on the impact of the measures put in place and further recommendations would be submitted to the President for a decision within the next seventy hours. Chairman of PTF and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who disclosed this at the daily Press Briefing in Abuja, noted that Nigeria is having more deaths from non-attendance to other diseases than even COVID 19 adding that the reason for the greater emphasis on COVID 19 is ...
Confusion in APC as CROSIEC fixes May 30 for council polls
The intractable crisis rocking the Cross River All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to be gathering momentum as the two factions have issued conflicting statements on the pending May 30th local government election. While a faction led by Sir John Ochala had dissociated the party from the pending local election, describing it as a “charade”, the other faction led by Mr John Etim said it is fully prepared to take part in the council poll. Since 2014, the Cross River State APC has been engaged in a leadership tussle, leading to the factionalisation of the party, even as the national leadership has made spirited efforts to settle the supremacy battle. In spite of this, the chairman of Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), Dr Mike Ushie, has fixed Saturday, May 30th f...
Task force denies 11 trucks entry to Cross River
The Cross River Government in collaboration with Peace Corps Nigeria have intercepted and sent back 11 trucks carrying Almajiri, Quranic education pupil, at the Gakem-Benue boundary of the state. Head of the taskforce team at the border, Mr Signor Omang-Idiege, told newsmen on Wednesday that the trucks were returned for carrying large numbers of Almajiri against the inter-state lockdown order. Idiege, who is the State Commissioner for Youth Development and Skill Acquisition, said that the trucks were sent back to their destination between May 4 and May 17, adding that the taskforce had continued to maintain a steady presence at the boundary. According to him, it was the desire of the state Governor, Ben Ayade, to ensure that the state remain COVID-19 free, hence the effective boundary surv...
Nigeria governors meet Wednesday on quick way out of coronavirus effects
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum says it will meet on Wednesday to review the situation of COVID-19 pandemic in various states, and as well find paths for a quick way out of the effects of the pandemic. The forum made this known in a statement by Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, NGF Head, Media and Public Affairs, in Abuja on Tuesday. Bello-Barkindo said issues to be discussed at the 8th teleconference meeting, according to the invitation sent from the NGF Director-General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, include update from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. He also listed a new initiative codenamed CACOVID-Volunteer Health Workers Support Scheme to States, including a consideration for a CACOVID–Healthcare Training Proposal, among others. Bello-Barkindo said: “The state governors will also take a...
Cross River orders five truckloads of almajiris back to destination
Cross River State government on Thursday ordered five truckloads of almajiris including other passengers from the northern part of Nigeria back to its destination. Newsmen learnt that a border patrol team, comprising of Peace Corp members, civilian Vigilantes, Border COVID-19 Taskforce had intercepted the trucks yesterday night at the Gakem border town in Bekwara LGA of the state near Benue State. A source who pleaded anonymity told Vanguard that the team was led by a Commissioner who said it was the result of intensive search and blockade of interstate vehicular travels, which his team was poised to enforce. “After a thorough check on the five trucks we discovered that most of the passengers, aside goods, were almajiris who did not meet COVID19 protocols, we had to force them to return,” ...
