The governor of Crosss River state, Ben Ayade has hinged the appointment of close to 2,000 aides on the desire to create job opportunities.

The new waves of appointments bring to 1,906 the total number of political appointees in the state despite its lean financial standing.
Before now, the Ayade-led government had a total of 800 appointees while the immediate past administration of Senator liyel Imoke had a total of about 98 appointees.

Among those appointed recently included Special Advisers, Special Assistants, Personal Assistants as well as the Chairmen and members of Board, Commissions, Departments and Agencies.
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Breakdown of the appointments shows that 799 were appointed into various boards commissions and agencies. The remaining 307 appointees are as follows Special Advisers (6); Senior Special Advisers (30); Special Assistants (75), Personal Assistants (25).

Others are Personal Assistants to Paramount Rulers (16); Representatives of each local government in the State Food Bank Unit (90); Liaison Officers for the 18 local government area and three senatorial districts (21); Special Assistants on Religious Affairs (18); and Permanent Secretaries (26).

A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, said the appointments take effect from November 1, 2016.

Recently, Senator Ayade had announced that he approved huge political appointees as a way of employment creation. However, labour leaders in the state have roundly condemned the pronouncement.

They insisted that such method of creating employment does not exist in any economic theory when the state’s 22,000 workforce is already over-bloated amidst poor financial inflow.

They advised the government to engage in real job creation of industrialisation and empowerment through various programmes and strengthening the private sector that can further create employment.