Cross River Governor Prof. Ben Ayade on Tuesday appointed 1,106 persons to fill various positions, The Punch reports.
The appointments would take effect from November 1, 2016, according to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Christian Ita.
799 persons were appointed into various boards, commissions and agencies, while the remaining 307 appointees were categorised into special advisers (6), senior special advisers (30), special assistants (75) and personal assistants (25).
Others appointments include personal assistants to paramount rulers (16), representatives of each local government in the state food bank unit (90), liaison officers for the 18 local government area and three senatorial districts (21), special assistants on religious affairs (18) and permanent secretaries (26).
A former Special Adviser to Ayade on Strategy and National Contact, Mr. Ray Ugba-Morphy, who reacted to the appointments said they were unnecessary.
Ugba-Morphy, who resigned from Ayade’s cabinet, said, “He is a governor who understands all the appointments that he is making. But considering the lean purse of the state, it is not necessary because those already appointed have not been properly settled.
“The wages of political appointees are fixed by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission as stipulated by the law, but he (Ayade) has not met those requirements.
“It is right if the appointments are meant to settle political scores, but economically, it is not viable. He should create opportunity for people to have skills to earn a living.”
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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