Civil Servants in Cross River State on Friday protested a move by the state governor, Ben Ayade to pay their December salary on the first day of the month.

The civil servants had received their salaries on the first day of December.

According to the workers, the decision will cause hardship during the holidays.

A top civil servant in the Ministry of Environment said, “The state government’s decision to pay December salaries of some civil servants within the first three days of the month will make us suffer in due course.

“The government should have employed caution by delaying December salary payments to a later date. Our governor may want to score a political point with this payment, but I think that those of us receiving this money stand to lose fiscally when January comes.”

One of the governor’s aide however said the civil servants should be appreciating the governor instead.

“People are so impossible to please. There are states in this country where salaries are not paid as and when due, but in Cross River State, our governor pays salaries and even pays ahead to cater for special occasions like the Workers’ Day and this Yuletide.

“Instead of applauding him, some people say he shouldn’t have paid. Nigerians are difficult to please.”