The Cross River State Government has nullified the controversial recruitment exercise conducted by the defunct Local Government Service Commission and approved a fresh recruitment of 4,000 personnel through a transparent process.
The decision comes months after many local government workers protested over the non-payment of 11 months’ salaries.
Secretary to the State Government, Anthony Enoh, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday following the submission of the report of the Panel of Enquiry into the recruitment exercise.
The statement said the government reached its decision after carefully considering the issues raised, investigations conducted and recommendations made by the panel.
It added that the panel found the recruitment exercise conducted by the defunct Local Government Service Commission between 2024 and 2025 to be fundamentally flawed and lacking in legitimacy.
According to the panel, the exercise was conducted without the Governor’s executive approval and was marred by widespread job racketeering, commercialisation of employment slots, institutional complicity, ineptitude and breaches of public service ethics.
Enoh said the panel faulted the entire exercise, noting non-transparency, absence of accountability and non-compliance with extant laws and financial regulations, adding that the exercise had been invalidated and cancelled.
He further said the only recruitments recognised as legitimate were 821 personnel duly approved by the Governor, including 83 Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) staff.
“Those who fall within this category will be retained on the Government payroll. All other persons who entered the payroll through unauthorised or illegal recruitment processes are hereby phased out,” the statement added.
It added that all legitimate employees of the Local Government Service Commission who were lawfully recruited would continue to receive their salaries as and when due, adding that the state government had approved the recruitment of 4,000 personnel through a new exercise that would deploy digital platforms and modern procedures.
“To address staffing needs, the government has approved the recruitment of 4,000 personnel through a new exercise that will deploy digital platforms and modern procedures. Consequently, persons affected by this difficult but necessary decision who possess the requisite qualifications and requirements are encouraged to reapply through the new recruitment process,” Enoh stated.
He, however, said the government had also directed that persons eased out of the payroll be paid compensatory benefits, while steps would be taken to ensure “a comprehensive unbundling and sanitisation of the entire payroll.” He stressed that the state would commence investigations and prosecute persons found culpable.
“Government deeply sympathises with every citizen who may have fallen victim to what has been described as a criminal enterprise. However, Government cannot assume responsibility for appointments that were never authorised,” the statement stated.
The government appealed to members of the public, particularly those affected, to remain calm and take advantage of the new recruitment window.
Enoh reaffirmed the state’s commitment to “building a professional, transparent, efficient and people-centred public service that serves the interests of all citizens.”