He announced the new salary package at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Calabar.

The new salary package takes effect from August 1, 2022, and the salaries of the state’s High Court judges will be increased by 100 per cent.

It was also announced that judges of the Customary Court of Appeal would have their salaries increased by 100 per cent, while those of Magistrates Court would be increased by 50 per cent.

Similarly, the governor has granted all judicial officers in the state immediate land allocation.

Governor Ayade said, “As a matter of state government’s policy, any judicial officer sworn in will have his or her official car ready for delivery. ”

He also approved new recruitment into the state’s judicial service, saying, “We have witnessed massive vacancy in the Ministry of Justice occasioned by retirement. To this effect, we have approved for the Chief Judge with the support of the Head of Service and the Civil Service Commission, the employment of 500 workers in the Ministry of Justice for the first phase alone.”

According to him, his administration has approved the setting aside of 25 per cent of the gross emoluments to support judicial officers’ allowances in terms of vacation, travels, among others.

He said he had addressed the immediate challenges of the state judiciary and pledged the support of his administration to that arm of government.

He said he acted in accordance with the report of the the State Judicial Welfare Review Committee he set up in April.

The Committee had retired Justice Eyo Effiong Ita as Chairman and the state’s Head of Service, Timothy Ogbang Akwaji as Secretary.

It was charged with reviewing of the salaries of Cross River state judicial officers.

“For our judicial officers, we know the challenges of this country. For Cross River State in particular, we are quite sensitive to all the concerns raised so far. That is why we set up a committee to review the conditions of service of judicial officers to make for better service delivery.

“So having studied the report of the committee and in order to enhance service delivery, Cross River State government has hereby handsomely reviewed their salaries and welfare,” he said.

The governor lauded the state Chief Judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme “for her diplomatic, studious and consistent push in achieving these goals.”

The governor said this on Channels Television today Wednesday, January 19. He explained that the President’s military background helped in making that possible.

According to him, there was an international conspiracy against the country, particularly the northern regions.

He said “Perhaps, if it was not Buhari’s administration with his military background, the country would have collapsed at this stage. People don’t know that because if you have been able to avoid risk, nobody can see it because it was avoided. I think the situation could have been worse.”

It was gathered that the meeting, which would hold eight weeks after the governors met in Asaba, the Delta State capital, would further assess decisions taken in Asaba on the open grazing ban, restructuring, fiscal federalism and the call for state police.

The governors would be hosted by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the meeting which would start by 10 am today (Monday).

Aside from the host governor, others expected at the meeting are Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Diri Duoye (Bayelsa), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Ben Ayade (Cross Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Oluwaseyi Makinde (Oyo), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

FFK who dished out the threat in reaction to the ongoing battle on who becomes the next Chairman of the PDP in Cross Rivers said it would be a big mistake for the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to undermine a sitting Governor or attempt to humiliate him in his own state and before his people.

He tweeted “It would be a big mistake for the NWC of the @OfficialPDPNig to take the party structures in his state away from Ben Ayaade, Gov. of Cross Rivers state, and hand them over to anyone else. If this is done and Ayaade leaves the party be rest assured that many of us will leave with him. You cannot and must not undermine a sitting Governor or attempt to humiliate him in his own state and before his people. Some of those that are advocating and behind this nonsense would never allow it to happen in their own states. A word is enough for the wise. No-one, no matter how big or powerful, should think that they own the @OfficialPDPNig. If there is any attempt to undermine Ayade it will spark off a crisis in the party that will split it right down the middle and the consequences will not be limited to Cross Rivers state.”

In a press statement released by Governor Ben Ayade’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Mr Christian Ita, it was gathered that the Cross River State Governor has directed the mass production of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for the trial resumption of public schools

Ayade said “Perhaps, we have to adopt a new lifestyle that will integrate coronavirus as part of our lifestyle. And so for Cross River State, we have a strong commitment that our children cannot continue to stay at home, the more they stay, the more the moral decadence, the more indiscipline, the more they become lazy of getting back to school and getting started because for every stage in life there is a time where you have to be in class and once the children miss that delicate phase, it becomes very difficult. I think it is wise for the kids to go back to school and I have seen this happen in China where kids are back to schools with their nose masks and shields. So you wear your nose mask and you wear your face shield when you get to school you drop the mask and wear only your shield to allow for more ventilation and more breathing. We believe it is time for the federal government to also show love and support to Cross River State. We have always led from the front and we think the mass production of PPE is an added advantage for which all health practitioners from nurses to radiographers must be equipped with PPE for them to work. Because we care, we want to support our public schools with the free distribution of PPE. But our PPE for schools is limited only to the nose masks and face shield. But for the health workers in Cross River State, they will be provided at no cost because the government has to bear the cost. We have invested massively in the mass production of a nose mask and face masks but in the course of time, it became obvious that the PPE is even far more critical because we realize that without the PPE our health workers, our front line workers are at risk and so there is a need for the production of PPE. Recently, doctors in Nigeria issued strike notice and their major reason was that their colleagues are dying in their numbers occasioned by the lack of PPE as they have direct contact with patients with confirmed cases.  Cross River State had to invest seriously in the production of PPE. And we have gone out of our way to get the best quality of materials and brought in people who specialize in mass production from India. They are here with us today and they’ are working very hard producing thousands of face shields. These face shields will be the first and major shield production here in Nigeria.  I think that the federal government will be excited to encourage the resumption of schools because obviously the coronavirus has come to stay with us and the reality is that countries that have attempted to resume schools have had to contend with the increasing prevalence of the virus but obviously how long can we wait as a country?”

Okon was amongst the additional 427 aides appointed by Governor Ayade in Calabar on Monday.

Confirming his appointment, Louis took to his Instagram page to thank the Governor and his wife, Dr. Linda Ayade.

“Earlier today, the Governor of Cross River State, Sir Ben Ayade @sirbenayade, through his Chief Press Secretary, announced me as Personal Assistant on Technical (Data Management) Affairs, It is indeed a great honour to me to serve my State and work under His Excellency in this capacity. I am humbled as I prepare to resume work as perhaps the youngest political appointee in our country at age 19yrs. Indeed, my appointment reemphasizes His Excellency’s belief in the youth, and his determination to create a youth inclusive administration and to bring us to the fore of affairs as he seeks to develop our dear State. As I prepare to serve, I am particularly thankful to God Almighty, the Executive Governor and Her Excellency, @drlindaayade for this opportunity, and to Cross Riverians at large. I will always be grateful”

Louis Okon  holds a Diploma in African Studies, Writing & Rhetoric & Entrepreneurial Leadership from AFRICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, Johannesburg, South Africa. Participated in the Sustainable Development and Social Entrepreneurship Session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program,Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; July 2018.

In a statement released by Governor Ben Ayade’s spokesperson Christian Ita, civil servants from grade level 10 were asked to resume work on Tuesday, April 14.

The statement reads in part “All returning civil servants are to receive nose masks from the COVID-19 Response Task Force through their respective permanent secretaries. All nose masks to be used in the state must be locally made, with the place of origin clearly marked. The sale of masks made by the Cross River State Garment Factory is prohibited. Masks are to be distributed free of charge.”