With two months to vacate the Governmment house, the Governor of Cross River State Senator Ben Ayade has extended teachers’ retirement age by five years.
Ayade, who announced the extension on Tuesday when the Nigerian Union of Teachers NUT, visited him in government house Calabar , said he has also lifted embargo on teachers’ promotion.
He noted that “teachers are the conscience of the nation and moulders of leaders of tomorrow, hence, in Cross River, teachers deserve premium welfare.
“To this end, he declared “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.”
The governor also promised to make prompt payment of teachers’ salaries a priority, pledging to clear all outstanding issues affecting them before leaving office.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Cross River chapter of NUT, Gregory Olayi, who described the governor as teachers-friendly, thanked him for finding time to host them.
Others who spoke including the Special Adviser to the governor on Education, Comrade Castro Ezama also explained that the teachers’ visit was to express gratitude to Governor Ayade for his benevolence and pro-teachers’ policies.