Cross River Cancels Controversial LG Recruitment, Approves Fresh 4,000

The Cross River State Government has cancelled a local government recruitment exercise conducted between 2024 and 2025, citing widespread job racketeering, commercialisation of employment slots and breaches of public service procedures.

The decision followed the submission and review of a report by a panel constituted to investigate the recruitment exercise.

The government, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, said the panel uncovered institutional complicity, financial irregularities and other violations of public service ethics.

It said only 821 personnel whose appointments were duly approved by Governor Bassey Otu would be recognised as legitimate and retained on the state payroll.

The figure includes 83 personnel of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission who were initially recruited through the Civil Service Commission before being redeployed to the Local Government Service Commission.

The government said other individuals whose names were added to the state payroll through unauthorised recruitment channels would be phased out.

It expressed sympathy with citizens who may have been affected by the cancelled exercise but said it could not validate appointments that were neither authorised nor processed through lawful procedures.

The government, however, assured legitimately employed workers that they would continue to receive their salaries as and when due, while affected persons would receive compensatory benefits.

To address manpower shortages identified in the public service, the state government has approved the recruitment of 4,000 new personnel.

The fresh exercise will be conducted through digital platforms and modern recruitment procedures intended to promote transparency, objectivity and compliance with public service regulations.

The government said qualified persons affected by the cancellation would be eligible to apply through the new recruitment process.

It also directed the Attorney-General of the state, in collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies, to investigate the cancelled recruitment exercise and prosecute anyone found culpable.

The state government said the measures were part of efforts to sanitise the payroll and build a more transparent, accountable and efficient public service.