Ayade finally approves the ‘appointment’ of magistrates unpaid for 2 years

Senator Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State, has finally given the formal approval for the ’employment’ of 29 protesting Magistrates into the state judiciary.

The magistrates who have been at loggerheads with the government have staged several protests demanding the payment of their arrears, but the government had claimed that their appointment was illegal and therefore they couldn’t be entitled to salaries.

But on Monday, 17th May 2018 Barrister Tanko Ashang, the Cross River State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice disclosed that the Governor has finally approved their ‘appointments’.

Barrister Ashang explained that as a result of the stamp of approval by the governor, the 29 Magistrates will subsequently be issued with appointment letters and then be added to the payroll.

He disclosed that because of this the governor had on January 26 this year made up a committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu to look into the issue.

Barrister Ashang stated further that the committee “after rigorous sittings recommended a list of 29 magistrates for employment to the Governor and the Governor has put his stamp of approval to the list bearing the 29 magistrates.

“With this approval, appointment letters will be issued to the new magistrates and they will accordingly be payrolled,” the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice concluded.