A female Magistrate at the Chief Magistrate Court, Odukpani, Cross River State, Safiya Iyeh Ashipu, has occupied the Government House in Calabar, appealing to Governor Ben Ayade to pay her salaries and entitlements of over two years. She was accompanied by her two children,
Ashipu, who says she is a single mother, urged Ayade to pay her money to enable her take care of her family, lamenting that they are dying of hunger.
Ashipu and her two children who stormed Ayade’s office on Monday, January 4 carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Your Excellency, I am a single mother of two; I have not been paid for two years; please pay me;” “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 complete my treatment, please pay my mother her two years’ salaries,” vowed not to leave the Governor’s office until she is paid.
Reports claim that the protesting mother and children were harassed by the police who seized her phones and tried to chase them out of the premises but they stood their grounds and said they would not move until Ayade addresses them.
She was reportedly screaming:
“I will not leave until Governor Ben Ayade pays my two years salaries. I am a single mother of two and I can barely feed my family. I have not been paid my salaries for two years. One of my children has been sick and I need money for his treatment. Do you want my child to die?
“My landlord is on my neck as I cannot pay my house rent. We will remain here until I am paid.”
At the time of going to press, no official of the government was accessible to speak on the matter.