The Cross River State Government has announced plans to compensate persons affected by the cancellation of the 2024 and 2025 Local Government recruitment exercises, following findings of widespread irregularities and alleged job racketeering.
The government also approved the recruitment of 4,000 fresh personnel into the Local Government Service through a new process it says will be transparent and digitally driven.
The development followed the report of a panel set up to investigate the controversial recruitment exercise conducted under the former Local Government Service Commission.
According to the state government, the panel uncovered serious irregularities, including alleged commercialisation of employment slots, financial inducements, institutional complicity and breaches of public service ethics.
As a result, the government cancelled the affected recruitment exercises, while 821 personnel whose appointments were duly approved by Governor Bassey Edet Otu will be retained on the government payroll.
The figure includes 83 personnel associated with CROSIEC who were initially employed through the State Civil Service Commission before being redeployed to the Local Government Service Commission.
Those whose appointments were found to have entered the payroll through unauthorised or illegal channels are to be phased out.
However, the government said persons affected by the cancellation would receive compensatory benefits, while qualified applicants who lost their appointments would have an opportunity to apply again under the new recruitment exercise.
The state government said the fresh recruitment of 4,000 personnel would be conducted using digital platforms and modern procedures aimed at determining genuine staffing needs and ensuring that recruitment is based on established requirements.
The government has also directed the Attorney-General of the state and relevant law-enforcement agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the previous recruitment exercise and prosecute anyone found culpable.
The latest development comes months after controversies surrounding the Local Government recruitment exercise, including allegations of job-slot commercialisation and complaints from persons who said they had secured employment but were not placed on the payroll.
The state government has urged affected persons and members of the public to remain calm and take advantage of the new recruitment opportunity, while promising to strengthen transparency and accountability in the Local Government Service.
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