by By Elijah Ugani
As traditional rulers across the state keeps harping on unjust treatment mated on them by the Ayade’s administration, the Yakurr Traditional Rulers Council has accused his administration of extorting monies from them in the guise of creating more clans despite the meager stipends paid to them.
They made the disclosure at Ugep, on Saturday January 21st 2023, during a consultative meeting with the PDP Campaign Council.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Obol Ofem Ikpi Ogbor noted that “The traditional institution in Cross River State has been relegated to the background. We have 44 Clan Heads in Yakurr and in Ugep alone, we have 149 villages heads. Out of this number, only 24 clan heads receive monthly stipends.
“We receive as meager as #22,500.00 and #7,500.00 for clan heads and village heads, and despite this meager stipends, they still come to us to extort. They will lie to us that they want to create more clans and collect as high as #50,000.00 from us. If you don’t pay, they will threaten to withdraw our cirtificates.
“We don’t sleep with our eyes closed, every little challenge in our communities is brought to the traditional rulers, ranging from land and other disputes, family disagreements and the likes, yet, our stipends is not commensurate with the work we do.
“Most of us seated here are retired civil servants, we have not been paid our gratuities. We already see hope in Sen Sandy Onor, let your words resemble your person”
