The All Progressive Party (APC)’s governorship candidate in Cross River State, John Owan-Enoh has said that he will pay the proposed N30,000 national minimum wage from May 29, 2019 if he is sworn in as governor of the state.
He said he will study the financial resources of the state and drastically reduce the over 5000 personal assistant, special advisers and other appointees by the incumbent and use the difference to pay civil servants.
Speaking with journalists in Calabar, he also said that he will cancel most or all of the phantom projects initiated by Governor Ben Ayade, many of which were alleged not to have gone through the state House of Assembly for approval, and recover the money for the payment of the national minimum wage.
He said: “Why not! It is possible to pay the proposed national minimum wage but I have to look at the extent at how the state resources have been plundered. I will have to block many drain pipes, cancel the phantom projects, reduce the staggering number of government appointees.
“This way, there would be more money in government kitty to pay workers whom I will never joke with..”