With less than three months for his tenure to elapsed, Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade has extended teachers retirement age by five years and announced that the embargo on teachers’ promotion has been lifted.
Ayade made the pronouncement Tuesday, in Calabar, during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, which took place at the executive council chamber of the governor’s office, Calabar.
The governor said teachers in the state deserve premium welfare as moulders of leaders of tomorrow and as such need to be promoted with their age in service extended to five years.
“Teachers are the conscience of the nation, they are the moulders of leaders of tomorrow, so, for us in Cross River, teachers deserve premium welfare.
“To this end, teachers’ retirement age is hereby extended by five years. Embargo has also been lifted on promotion. Similarly, all promoted teachers will henceforth start earning salaries commensurate to their positions,” Ayade maintained.
The governor said in the last eight years of his administration, he made teachers welfare, including prompt payment of their salaries, a priority, pledging to clear all outstanding issues affecting them before leaving office.
In his remarks, chairman, Cross River chapter of NUT, Gregory Olayi, described the governor as teachers-friendly and expressed gratitude to him for finding time to host them.
Also, Ayade’s special adviser on education, comrade Castro Ezama said the teachers came to express gratitude to Governor Ayade for his benevolence and pro-teacher policies.
