Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, has approved the appointment of 427 new aides.

This was announced in a statement on Monday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita.

According to him, the appointees include chairmen, members of board of agencies and special assistants.

One of the appointees also include special assistant on groundnut oil factory.

Ita, while called upon by newsmen to provide more information on the new appointments, said the governor made the decision to lessen social tension amid the coronavirus pandemic.

He added that the governor only needs the service of five percent of the newly appointed aides as other appointments were made as a means of job provision.

Speaking on the appointment of a special assistant on groundnut oil factory, Ita said it is as a result of the new factory being built in the state.

“There’s nothing wrong with that given that we’re building a groundnut oil factory. Besides it is the duty of government to create jobs for its citizens,The governor has said repeatedly that he only needs about 5 per cent of his appointees. So he deliberately creates this jobs to put food on the table so as to reduce social tension.” He said.