By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Calabar-Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has promised to negotiate with the state workforce over the payment of the newly recommended N18,000 as the living wage, just as the governor announced that the state reserve funds has increased to N55 billion.

  The governor who made the promise during a media parley in Calabar, said the negotiation was not important given that the state  has a shortfall in revenue generation.

He said he was a believer in payment of living wage and had introduced the annual increment of workers salary by 5% to boost their morale and income every year.

Governor Imoke disclosed that the state’s reserve fund had increased to N55 billion and that despite the challenges facing the state, his government has continued to service the fund to encourage the culture of saving for the rainy day  considering the volatile nature of modern economy.

On the ceding of the state’s 76 oil wells to  Akwa Ibom, he said his administration was seeking a  political solution to the matter.