One of the Magistrates protesting the non-payment of their two years’ salary in Cross River State, Richard Bassey, has slumped at the gate of the Governor’s Office in Calabar, yesterday.
The victim was painfully revived by his colleagues and other staff of the Governor’s office in Calabar by pouring water on him.
In a related development, a witness who gave his name as Godwin Effiom lamented the incident which occurred yesterday at the Governor’s office gate and alleged that the Deputy Governor, Prof Ivara Esu, drove past when the incident occurred.
“It surprises me about the kind of leaders we have these days, because a deputy governor of a State can pass through the gate of the governor’s office and saw a large crowd trying to revive a victim, and he drove past. It’s unfortunate,” he stated.
In a related development, a single mother magistrate, Safiya Iyeh Ashipu, of the Chief Magistrate Court, Odukpani and her two children, Monday protested in front of the Cross River State Governor’s office over non-payment of two years’ salary.
Ashikpu and her two children disrupted official functions and other government activities at the Cross River State Governor’s Office in Calabar, protesting non-payment of the arears of salary.
The protesting Magistrate alongside her two children were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Our Excellency, I am a single mother of two, I have not been paid for two years, please pay me my two years’ salary.
“Your Excellency, My Governor, you have the power to help and change our lives for the better. Please pay our mother and your Excellency, my governor please help me to complete my treatment and please pay my mother her two years’ salaries.”
The Tide observed that over thirty other magistrates in the State, who were not paid their two years’ salaries emerged from nowhere and blocked the entire entrance of the governor’s office, disrupting economic, social and political activities in the office.
In a chat with newsmen, a Magistrate in Akpabuyo, Arit Edem, who was among the demonstrators lamented the non-payment of their two years’ salary, describing Governor Ben Ayade’s activity as divide and rule, saying he was paying some and deceiving others.
Magistrate Edem said that they had been patient enough, as it was their right to be employed. “ We are Nigerians and Cross Riverians. It is our right, no matter what it takes.
“If the government of the day says it is a government for the youths, the government wants to put food on everybody’s table, that the budget of the state is meant for everybody but what we experience is that the budget is meant for a few and others can go to hell.
“It is unfair; we are coming out today to mount the street for the next one month, protesting the non-payment of our salaries. Let him come out and tell us that we are not entitled to employment. We have exhausted every negotiating power with him. We will not give up until we are paid,” he stated.
Edem further said, “Magistrate Ashipu was thrown out of her residence because of non-payment of rent and the Attorney General offered to pay part of the money meant for the Magistrate, and she has gone to arrange her things with her landlord.
“The Attorney offered to pay N210, 000 as part payment for the expired rents,” she said.

By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar