The Lumine News

Category: Metro News

  • Sen. Rose Shone At Every Stage Of Her Career – Sandy Onor

    Sen. Rose Shone At Every Stage Of Her Career – Sandy Onor

    By Admin

    The Senator representing Cross River State Central Senatorial District, Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor has described the late Sen. Rose Oko as a woman who shone at every stage of her career and overwhelmingly productive as a member of the Cross River State Executive Council.

    Sandy stated this at the funeral mass of the late Sen. Rose Oko at her country home Ijegu Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    In his words “Senator Oko shone at every state of her career. She flourished in the academia and was exceedingly brilliant and overwhelmingly productive as a member of the Cross River State Executive Council. She performed so well that it attracted several appointments in apex institutions over the years until she joined politics as a legislator, where she offered quality representation to her people, as a devout Catholic, Dr Rose Oko lived a life in service to God and humanity. She was an excellent mother, sister, and friend to many across the Nigerian landscape. She was indeed a model, mentor and benefactor to several persons who would surely miss her, therefore on behalf of the good people of Cross River State Central Senatorial District, my family l commiserated with the family of late Sen Dr. Rose Okoji Oko at this trying moment in their lives and prayed that God gives them the fortitude to bear the huge lose.

    May her soul find rest in the bosom of the lord. Amen”

    A 23 man high power delegation of the NIGERIA Senate to the burial obsequious was led by the senate minority leader ,Sen Abaribe, who presented a condolence message to the family on behalf of the Nigerian Senate.

    Other dignitaries at the event include former governor of cross River State, Sen Liyel and the incumbent governor His Excellency Sen prof Ben Ayade amongst other dignitaries.

     

  • Gov Ben Ayade Presents N277.7bn 2021 Budget, Christened ‘Blush And Bliss’

    Gov Ben Ayade Presents N277.7bn 2021 Budget, Christened ‘Blush And Bliss’

    By Admin

     

    The Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade has presented Two Hundred and Seventy Seven Billion, Seven Hundred and Eight Million Naira (N 277,708,000,000) as Budget Estimates and Appropriation Bill for 2021 to the State House of Assembly.
    The Budget which he tagged budget of “Blush and Bliss” has One Hundred and Ninety Two Billion, Five Hundred and Eleven Million (N 192,511,000,000.00) representing Sixty Nine percent (69%) as recurrent expenditure while Eighty Five Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Seven Million (31%) is slated for Capital expenditure.

    The Governor stated that 2021 Budget will focus more on “the Humanitarian perspective” disclosed that 70% of the recurrent expenditure will be targeted for Youth empowerment, medical support, scholarships, immediate suspension of tuition fee for indigenous Students as well as other Humanitarian support to better the lives of Cross Riverians.

    Ayade described the Budget as unusual coming against the backdrop of several challenges including the COVID 19 pandemic and the #ENDSARS protest which hoodlums hijacked leading to wanton destruction of both public and private properties across the state. He condoled with all Cross Riverians who suffered losses during the mayhem and prayed that “may 2020 never come in the history of Nigeria”.

    Other specific areas which the 2021 Budget will address according to the Governor include; neighborhood protection to enthrone better security for citizens, extension of the NYSC period, boost in Agriculture as well as the take off of the State’s airline, CALI AIR.

    Earlier, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams in a welcome address commended Governor Ayade for his achievements including measures put to in place to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic, efforts to address Youth restiveness as well as his Industrialization drive. “your Excellency, recent happenings are not enough to cast doubts on the giant achievements your administration has made in the State. The Industrialization programme is on course and most Industries are either already completed or above 90% completion”. he said.
    Williams promised an early passage of the budget after due legislative processes.

     

  • Cross River Lawmakers Attend 2-Day Capacity Building Workshop

    Cross River Lawmakers Attend 2-Day Capacity Building Workshop

    By Admin

    The Cross River State House of Assembly has engaged in a capacity building workshop for members organised by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) held at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu from the 21st to 22nd of October, 2020.

    At the two-day Capacity Building Workshop for members and selected key Management staff, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Eteng Jonah Williams in his remarks lauded Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) for the magnanimity in organizing the workshop in spite of the challenges in the country.

    “As a third termed lawmaker, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation is not new to me as I have had the privilege to participate in their previous trainings but I must say this is the best I have attended,
    from the carefully selected topics to the excellent resource persons, no doubt, the gains from this workshop will impact positively in our legislative work wen we return,” the Speaker said.

    According to him, as Legislators, the importance of training and re-training cannot be overemphasized.

    “On behalf of my dear colleagues, we are indeed grateful to Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for taking us through such impactful exercise”, he said.

    Resident Representative of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Dr Vladimir Kreck in a welcome address said that; “We believe that the State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria should play a more decisive role in governing their states. This is the reason why we have been supporting democratic governance on state level for more than a decade. And this is also the reason why we approached the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies about a year ago with a request to partner with us to elevate our services to a new quality”.

    Also, the Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, in his remarks, pointed out that the lawmakers must begin the process of building internal capacity within the Assembly, preparatory to full autonomy by understanding its implications on legislative administration and parliamentary business as lawmakers and career officers needed to understand the various roles and responsibilities that the autonomy seeks to put on them.

    Meanwhile, among papers delivered at the training programme included: “Legislative Agenda and Benchmarking the activities of the State House of Assembly, Overview of Legislative Practices and Procedure, Management Models of Parliaments and State House of Assembly Service Commission, Financial Autonomy of State Houses of Assembly and LGAs in Budget Budget Management Processes , Legislative Code of Conducts and Ethics”, amongst others.

  • Fr. Titus Armon’s Arrest, Detention, Release and Matters Arising!

    Fr. Titus Armon’s Arrest, Detention, Release and Matters Arising!

    By Elijah Ugani

    The media space has been inundated lately with the disgusting story of the arrest of Fr. Titus Armon, the Assistant Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Parish, Abuochiche, Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, just after the much celebrated #EndSARS protest that was hijacked by hoodlums that led to the looting and destruction of properties across the country.

    As a devote Catholic of the Ogoja Diocese, I joined the crusade in my personal capacity to question the rationale behind Fr. Titus arrest, as well as the advocacy for his unconditional release.

    Thank God Fr. Titus was released unconditionally on the intervention of the team sent by the Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Donatus Edet Akpan, led by the Vicar General Admin, Rev. Fr. Peter Obele Abue.

    Being curious to know what led to Fr. Armon’s arrest, I contacted the team lead and Vicar General Admin, and he assured me that the Director of Communications of the Diocese, Fr. Emma Eroh was going to reach me on developments.

    I consistently called and Fr. Emma Eroh perhaps hurriedly sent me a WhatsApp massage, stating that an #EndSARS video was shared from Fr. Titus’s phone being the alleged reason for his arrest, and I immediately published same without premeditation.

    However, the Director of Communications, Issued a press release and published same on his Facebook page, which supersede any other statement credited to him, where he fingered the Governor, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade to be responsible for the arrest of Fr. Titus.

    A perusal of the release by Fr. Emma Eroh, necessarily demands the Media Aides of the Governor as mater of necessity to address all the issues raised by the said press release that accused the Governor to have masterminded Fr. Titus arrest, they are busy copying my publication, which is subservient to the later press release by the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja.

    Someone should help me tell the Governor’s media aides to address the issues raised by the Director of Communication of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja alleging the Governor’s involvement in the arrest of Fr. Titus Armon.

    Let the aides of the Governor gather and do a combined rebuttal of the said allegations, or if they are wangling in guilt, they should apologize to the priest and the diocese.

    Until we see a strong worded rebuttal of Fr. Emma Eroh’s press release, addressing all issues raised, I’m also tempted to share the sentiment that Fr. Titus arrest was masterminded.

    The public is hereby advised to disregard any document shared other the one shared by the Director of Communications, Fr. Emma Eroh.

    Elijah Ugani is
    The Editor-In-Chief/Publisher of
    www.theluminenews.com

  • Sir Ben Ayade Owes His Home Diocese Detailed And Unreserved Apology If Religion Means Anything To Him – Emma Eroh

    Sir Ben Ayade Owes His Home Diocese Detailed And Unreserved Apology If Religion Means Anything To Him – Emma Eroh

    By Admin

    The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Very Rev. Fr. Emma Eroh, has stated that the Governor of Cross River State, Sir Ben Ayade who is a Knight of the Catholic Church owes his home diocese detailed and unreserved apology if religion means anything to him.

    The cleric made this known in a press release where the Governor is fingered to be responsible for the Gestapo arrest and detention of Rev. Fr. Titus Armon.

    The release indicates that the Department of State Security and by extension, the state Governor, Sir. Ben Ayade who is a Knight of the Catholic Church owes his home diocese a detailed and unreserved apology, if religion means anything to him.

    The release reads in full:

    “KNIGHT GOV. BEN AYADE, FR. TITUS ARMON AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

    “The arrest and release of a Catholic Priest of Ogoja Diocese, Fr. Titus Armon by men of the Nigerian Army (29th Oct 2020) at the behest of the Department of State Security in Cross River State is in the public domain with neatly parcelled versions in favour of their pay Masters. We are not interested on whoever wants to make political gain and capital from this event but rather appalled at the manner and style of the Department of State Security. Are they licensed to kill?

    “It is pertinent to underline the fact that a Catholic priest is not immuned from obeying the laws of the land, however there is a more honourable path for security agencies to tow in the planning, interpretation and eventual execution of their script. I find them culpable and negligent in the Gestapo style the gentleman was arrested without prior invitation. It is despicable, preposterous, dehumanising and traumatic at all layers.

    “The State Department of State Security and by extension the State Governor, His Excellency Sir. Ben Ayade ( who is a Knight of the Catholic Church) owes his home diocese a detailed and unreserved apology, if religion means anything to him.

    “Fr. Titus Armon was in his room when two gun trottling Army men entered and demanded that he descends downstairs to speak with their boss who was in the car, his attempt to put on his cassock was rebuffed and he was dragged down like a common thief and emptied forcefully into the waiting Hilux van.

    “The journey from Abuochiche in Bekwarra to Calabar which lasted over five hours in the midst of unknown men with intermittent interrogation was hellish. He spent the night at the detention facility in Akim Army Barrack before his eventual relocation to SSS detention facility. His crime: he allegedly originated an ENDSARS protest video traced to his phone.

    “Nelson Mandela posted years ago, ” to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”. The onus is on the government to accord us freedom of expression and to respect the dignity of its citizens and walk the path of due diligence especially post ENDSARS era. Is the Cross River State government imbibing any lesson?

    “Besides, Fr. Titus Armon works in a reputable, ubiquitous and time tested religious organisation where Gov. Ayade prides himself as a worthy Knight, was it not proper to inform the bishop of the diocese? Are the words of Robert Mitchin true of our Governor? ” There are three times in a man’s life when it’s useless to hold him for anything; when he is madly in love, drunk or having an exalted political office. Could all these three be working in favour of the Governor? If a Catholic Priest can be so recklessly treated, what’s the assurance for others?

    “Gov. Ben Ayade should be reminded that no one has ever won the Catholic church in a battle. Can Gov Ayade change the pages of history where emperors and kings could not succeed. This is a tall dream.

    “The handlers of the Governor must eschew the art and mastery of psychophancy which flows in their veins and face reality, you dont play politics with peoples’lives. His multi-layered media aides whose importance originate from being in the periphery of power and having food on their tables, ought to know this drama is a bad omen. Our beloved Governor should be reminded that of the timeless words of Richard Harns “THE MOST DINSTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCEESFUL POLITICIANS IS SELECTIVE COWARDICE”. Will they have the gumption to do the needful, the answer lies in the womb of time.

    “Fr. Emma Eroh is the Director of Communication,
    Catholic Diocese of Ogoja.”

  • Suspend Sir Benedict Ayade KSJI, For Desecrating The Church – First Baba Isa

    Suspend Sir Benedict Ayade KSJI, For Desecrating The Church – First Baba Isa

    By Admin

    An Abuja based right lawyer and a devote Catholic, Mr. First Baba Isa Esq. has called on the leadership of the Catholic Church to suspend Governor Ben Ayade who happens to be a Knight of the Catholic Church for desecrating the church, by sending soldiers to humiliate, torture and embarrass a priest.

    Isa made the call at his verified Facebook account @FirstBabaIsa, urged the church to immediately suspend the knighthood of Governor Ben Ayade among other things.

    Find the call in full:

    “SIR BENEDICT AYADE; THE KNIGHT WHO DESECRATED HIS CHURCH

    “I just read a statement issued by Rev Fr Emma Eroh, the Director of Communications in the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja; and that statement puts the responsibility of the arrest and detention of a Catholic Priest, Rev Fr Titus Armon, squarely on Governor Ayade, who happens to be a Knight of the Catholic Church.

    “Before the Governor and his merchants of propaganda and hellfire-bound liars come out to deny this as I have seen them do in many instances like in the case of Agba Jalingo, Ifere Paul, Joseph Odok, etc., let me say that I’m terribly appalled that I have lived to see a day where a Knight of our Church will humiliate, torture and embarrass a priest like this.

    “The purpose of the Catholic Knighthood is to have men and women who will defend the Church; not in taking up arms but in how they conduct themselves, uphold the doctrines of the Church and revere the sacraments and the clergy.

    “I was an Altar Boy, who even became the President of the entire Altar Boys Association of Ogoja Diocese. All my life I have lived with Reverend Fathers. Heck, I wanted to be one. They are not perfect but they are highly respected because of their learned, calm, peaceful and godly disposition to life generally.

    “Today, we have a Catholic faithful who became a Governor, a Governor who became a Knight of the Catholic Church and that Knight sent soldiers to arrest a Catholic Priest in his church; they dragged him without even allowing him the dignity of wearing his cassock. They lifted him up and threw him inside a waiting van and drove him for over 7 hours to Calabar. They locked him up for over 24 hours without access to his lawyers or anyone.

    “This one is on the church. The Governor is a tyrant, we know that already. He is called “Little Napoleon” in some quarters. We know this already. So, this one is on the church. How will the Church respond to this.

    “Issuing a press statement is a good place to start but that is not enough. The church should not dismiss this as a case of turning the other cheek. The church must take action.

    “Firstly, the church should immediately suspend the knighthood of Governor Benedict Ayade. We don’t want to belong to a church where a Knight will abuse the fundamental rights of a priest and go scot free.

    “Secondly, the governor, the army and the SSS should be taken to court immediately. Nobody is above the law, not even a Catholic Priest. If Fr Titus committed an offence that warrants an arrest, I will be the first to call for his arrest. But in this case he has done nothing wrong.

    “He was arrested in place of his brother who is also a Catholic priest. And for what? Because his phone was used to post, allegedly by his brother, an #EndSARS video? That is not an offence. Both of them did nothing wrong.

    “Knowing the Governor, I can tell you for free that this has nothing to do with #EndSARS. This is how the Governor operates: whenever he wants to arrest and intimidate his critic, he will make it look as if the Federal Government is involved. Soon, he will come out to tell us how he does not control the army or the SSS and how #EndSARS is a Federal Government issue. We all saw this script play out in Agba Jalingo’s case.

    “Let the fundamental human rights of Fr Titus Armon, and even that of Fr Ghesu Armon, be enforced. Let the Governor and all his law enforcement conspirators pay for this. Let the church make them pay.

    “The church should also stop participating actively or passively in the misgovernance going on in Cross River State. You have donated your pulpit several times for this same Governor Ayade to mount on and make promises to the people he never intended to fulfill and of course never fulfilled.

    “The church has allowed priests to serve as the Governor’s SA’s and members of fanciful committees; these committees are high in jargons and low in performance. With these priests present in this administration, the church cannot excuse herself from failure of the administration and the consequent opprobrium.

    “The Church has been quite for too long in the face of tyranny and bad governance. Why? Is it cowardice? Over 2000 years ago, the Founder of our church looked at Herod and the politicians and called them “Foxes!” That’s the same spirit he gave us. Not a spirit of fear or timidity!

    “Ayade touched a prophet. He did a prophet harm… and in the process he broke the law.

    “Let him pay. Make him pay.

    “Firsts Baba Isa (FBI), a Legal Practitioner, writes from Abuja.
    [email protected].”

  • #EndSARS Video Led To Fr. Armon’s Arrest – Eroh

    #EndSARS Video Led To Fr. Armon’s Arrest – Eroh

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Director of Communication of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Very Rev. Fr. Emma Eroh has stated that the arrest of Rev. Fr. Titus Armon on the 29th of October, 2020, is connected with the #EndSARS video shared from his phone by his brother.

    Fr. Eroh made this known in a release he personally signed and made available to The Lumine News

    The release reads in parts “A special delegation sent by the Bishop of Ogoja diocese headed by the Vicar General Admin, Rev. Fr. Peter Abue met with officials at the Department of State Security (DSS).

    “After intense deliberation, it was observed that Fr. Armon who was arrested yesterday and released today October 30th, 2020, was connected with an #EndSARS related video allegedly shared from his phone used by his brother who was in possession of his phone and simcard. He was however released unconditionally.

    “We thank other members of the delegation, Frs. Matthew Otuji, Joe Bebia, Victor Owan, the diocesan lawyer, Marc Ename Esq.

    “To God be the glory, my experience today is an indication of how careful we should be in sharing views and stories on social media”

    Recall that the social media has been inundated with disturbing reports initially of the kidnap of the clergyman and later that he was arrested on a mistaken identity.

    Others commentators had fingered the Governor, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade to have masterminded his arrest, alleging that Fr. Titus Armon elder brother is a critic of the Governor.

    This clarification however, settles all accusations and counter accusations as currently brandishing the media space.

  • God Used The Ayades To Make Me Chairman Of Obanliku Local Government Council – Margaret Inde

    God Used The Ayades To Make Me Chairman Of Obanliku Local Government Council – Margaret Inde

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde, has stated that God used the Ayades to perfect his plans of making her Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council.

    The Chairman disclosed this during the thanksgiving service held in her honor at Message Point Assembly, No. 199 Parliamentary Road, Calabar on Sunday October 11th, 2020.

    In her words “I want to thank God for this day, indeed God is still using his own to perfect his plans. I would not have become Chairman of Obanliku if not for my dear mothers, Dr. Linda Ayade and Mrs. Elizabeth Frank Ayade. I was at this alter praying and asking God to have his way, while here praying, the wife of the Governor was busy calling and asking me if all was OK with me. They ensured that everything went according to God’s plan.

    “Prior to the election, I had a dream that President Umaru Musa Yaradua of blessed memory, visited Calabar, and in that dream, he singled me out and asked me to come to him at the podium and I did, he made me sat beside him. After the function he came for, he flown me to Abuja, gave me a position and showed me a mansion to live in, that was the libration for me.

    “When I woke up and realized it was a dream, at first I wasn’t comfortable, and couldn’t believe myself, but I had to believe God and waited for the appointed time, and that time is now.

    “I see that God has used the Ayades in place of the late Yaradua, the former President of this country. I want to thank God for a dream come true.

    “I’m grateful first to God Almighty for his magnanimity and love towards me for this opportunity to serve my people in spite of my unworthiness, secondly to the Ayade family for the support and believe in me, in fact, I am a foster child of the Ayades. Also, my parents in the Lord, Apostle and Mrs. Bassey Udosen who have always prayed and prophesied for me.

    “I had another dream when God told me that I was going to build a house for him, and I asked myself, how can a civil servant whose salary was just seventy thousand naira build a house for God.

    “I didn’t know that God has something great for me and that he will provide the fulcrum for me to begin this project of building a temple for the Lord, it is on this premise that I want to call on you all who have identified with me today in thanksgiving to the Lord to join me to support the building of this church”

    Earlier, Apostle Bassey Udosen, admonished the congregation to utilize the opportunity they have while still alive for the service of God and mankind.

    He noted that nothing will be important when we breath the last, are the things we did while we were alive. He charged all present to consider living a life of impartation and good deeds.

    The man of God used the opportunity and prayed for Governor Ben Ayade and his Deputy as well as the Chairman of Obanliku, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde, he asked for God’s guidance, and that his favours and grace to directs her affairs as she steers the ship of Obanliku local government council to an enviable height.

    The Deputy of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, joined the Chairman of Obanliku local government council in thanksgiving and made a donation for the church building project.

    Also, the wife of the Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade was visibly filled with with joy to be in the Lord’s presence and used the opportunity to pray God Almighty to grant the Chairman whose emergence is a manifestation of his plan, the grace to complete the work he (God) has started in the life of his dear daughter, Evangelist Mrs. Margaret Inde. She further joined the Deputy Governor and made a contribution to the church building project.

    The thanksgiving was graced by numerous friends, fans, supporters, PDP party faithfuls, Council Chairmen of the 17 local government areas, well wishers of the Chairman too numerous to mention who made their donations to support the church building project.

  • We Are Assembling Machinery, Equipment And Materials As We Plan Towards A Mega Empowerment Programme – Sandy Onor

    We Are Assembling Machinery, Equipment And Materials As We Plan Towards A Mega Empowerment Programme – Sandy Onor

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Sen. Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor has stated that he is working towards assembling machinery and other materials that will bless the fortunes of his constituents through a mega empowerment programme planned for 2021.

    The lawmaker disclosed this to The Lumine News when contacted to comment on the just concluded five days Entrepreneurship Development programme for Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria he facilitated, held at his Constituency Office, No. 1, Okim Osabor Street, 4 Corners – Ikom Local government Area of Cross River State.

    In his words “We are poised to provide the twenty first century representation through effective legislation on issues that bother on the wellbeing of Central Senatorial District, Cross River State and the country at large, which is the primary function of a lawmaker.

    “We are assembling machinery, equipment and materials as we plan towards a mega empowerment programme next year. We will capture all of them that have been trained according to their skills”

    The Senator maintained that “I decided on purpose to facilitate the five days Entrepreneurship Development training because of my desire which is born through genuine intention to empower my constituents, through the mega empowerment, come next year.

    “For any intervention or empowerment to be sustainable and result oriented, you must design a framework that guarantees effective implementation. This motivated me to facilitate the five days Entrepreneurship Development training, preparatory to the mega empowerment.

    “The mega empowerment we envisage will sure guarantee sustainable development and create wealth for my constituents.

    “I’m very delighted to see participants come out in their numbers to attend the five days Entrepreneurship Development Training. With the report I got from the field, I can assure you that we are at the right trajectory to realizing our dream of the mega empowerment come next year”

    The training is intended to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria to reduce the pressure of unemployment in the society.

    Some of the beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with the programme and expressed their gratitude to Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor, who they described as God sent who understands the needs of his people in every season, as they pledged to apply their new techniques acquired during the training in their already existing businesses.

  • C’River Aggrieved Civil Servants Deactivated From Payroll Suspends Protest As Governor Calls For Negotiation

    C’River Aggrieved Civil Servants Deactivated From Payroll Suspends Protest As Governor Calls For Negotiation

    By Elijah Ugani

    Aggrieved  civil servants in cross river state who have taken to the streets of Calabar to protest the unjust deactivation of their names from the state payroll since August 2019, had yesterday, 24th September, 2020 suspended it 4 days protest following the call for a negotiation by the state Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade.

    In a release sighted by The Lumine News and jointly signed by Comrades Paul Ajie, Cross River State Coordinator of Niger Delta Activist Forum and Francis Agbor, Coordinator of the Aggrieved Civil Servants, indicates that the protesters will resume indefinite protest should government fail to resolve the issues within the two weeks.

    The release reads in full “PRESS RELEASE BY THE AGGRIEVED CIVIL SERVANTS WHOSE NAMES WERE DEACTIVATED FROM THE CROSS RIVER STATE GOVERNMENT PAYROLL AND THOSE WHO WERE EMPLOYED AND HAVE WORKED FOR A PERIOD OF TWENTY MONTHS WITHOUT SALARIES.

    “Good evening great comrades,gentle men of the press.
    Let me very specially thank you all for your display of commitment,solidarity and love within this four days of mass unrest over the deactivation of our names from the CRS Government payroll.

    “Recalled that on the 14th of September 2020 we had issued a press statement giving the government a seven day ultimatum to activate our names on the state payroll or face mass protest.
    The government’s inability to respond to our demands within the period saw us embarked on a mass protest that has lasted for four days between Monday 21st September 2020 and 24th September 2020 on the streets of calabar the Cross River State Capital.

    “It’s therefore imperative to state here that,while on a routine peaceful match on the Murtala Mohammed Highway Calabar at about 1200hrs,the Governor’s convoy having sighted the protesters,pulled over and the Governor His Excellency Prof Ben Ayade alighted from his Ranch Rover Auto Biography,walked to the protesters and addressed them and promised to solve their issues by next week having not been aware of their agitations and challenges.
    Consequent upon that,a text message was received by the leadership of the aggrieved civil servants and the leadership of the Niger Delta Activists Forum requesting them to attend a meeting with a team government officials comprising of representatives from the Head of Service, Payroll office, Ministry of Finance, Labour,State Security Advisers South and Central and the Nigerian Police Force.

    “The meeting held at the instance of the permanent secretary in charge of Security and special duties Governors Office Amb.Dr Alfred Mboto.

    “After an exhaustive deliberation that lasted for about six hours,the following resolutions were reached:

    “(1)That the protest be suspended to allow for further negotiations between the aggrieved civil servants and government.

    “(2)That the government negotiating team and the leadership of the aggrieved civil servants meet within one week from the date of this meeting to work out a possible date for a verification exercise of the affected staff subject to the approval of His Excellency.

    “(3)That aggrieved civil servants who would be successful at the end of the exercise would have their names activated in the state payroll with immediate effect.

    “(4)That all interests and concerns raised in the protest as it concern those whose names were deactivated from the payroll as well as those who had not been payroll after employment for a period of twenty months and above would be properly addressed.

    “Sequel to the above agreements,the aggrieved civil servants here by suspend it civil unrest for two weeks to give room for the government to come out with a favourable date and template for the verification in other to end this impasse once and for all.

    “The aggrieved workers further stated that if at the end of the two weeks window and nothing is done by the government, the mass protest shall resume on the 12th of October 2020 and it will be indefinite.

    “Gentle men of the press, permit me to use this medium to that God for seeing us through this very challenging moment of our agitation, to cross riverians and indeed Nigerians who stood by us through prayers and moral support my appreciation will not be incomplete if I fail to say a resounding thank you to all media houses for their untiring commitment in ensuring that our activities were given maximum media coverage.

    “Finally, I wish to appreciate the Security Agencies who exhibited a high level professionalism in the discharge of their duties while the protest lasted.
    Thank you and God bless you all.

    “ALUTA CONTINUA
    VICTORIA ACERTA

    ” For the aggrieved civil servants:

    “Comrade Paul Ajie
    08082268017
    State chairman Niger Delta Activists Forum

    “Comrade Francis Agbor
    07037712508
    Coordinator of the Aggrieved Civil Servants.”