Calabar Urban Development Authority officials have revealed that Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade will pay protesting street sweepers in the state on or before May 29, 2023.
PUNCH METRO reported that a group of women numbering in the hundreds have been protesting the failure of Ayade to pay them their four-month stipend of between N5,000 and N10,000.
It was gathered that CUDA invited the women but only paid them for one month each, admonishing them that any unpaid wages would only be given if they showed up for work again and impressed Ayade.
One of the women, a mother of five, who pleaded anonymity, said, “We were strongly warned to sweep and keep the city of Calabar clean to help convince the governor to release the remaining balance.
“This one month they are paying us out of outstanding four months is grossly inadequate to cater for our needs. Many of us have borrowed to survive. Our creditors are all on our necks to refund.”
The women consented to go back to work, but they added that they wouldn’t fall for such tricks again and wouldn’t think twice about organising another nonviolent protest if necessary.
An aide of the governor, Eno Edem,who supervises the street sweepers, admitted that they only paid the women a one-month stipend.
She refused to continue speaking, advising the old women not to speak to journalists.
Before getting the honorarium, the women were forced to line in the blazing sun.
