CALABAR – Local government staff in Obudu, Obanliku, and Bekwarra have raised concerns over payroll shortfalls, haphazard salary payments, delays in promotions, and poor staff welfare during the statewide tour of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC).
The Commission, led by its Chairman, Barr. Eyo Nsa Ekpo, commenced a familiarisation tour of all 18 local government areas of Cross River State to address challenges in the third tier of government and ensure alignment with the innovations of Governor Bassey Otu’s administration.
During the tour, which has so far visited Obudu, Obanliku, and Bekwarra councils, staff raised multiple grievances centred on payroll irregularities and welfare concerns. According to the Commission’s media unit, issues raised included “payroll shortfalls, haphazard payments, staff welfare, promotions and implementation”.
In response, the Commission Chairman and Director of Administration provided clarifications on the matters raised.
The concerns come amid a broader context of payroll challenges in Cross River State’s local government system. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had earlier expressed concern over unpaid salaries and promotion irregularities. In May 2026, the NUT chairman listed 14 unresolved issues affecting workers in the state, including “the non-implementation of promotions since 2016,” which he said had “left workers stagnated, demoralised, and financially shortchanged”.
Similarly, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had called on the government to address unpaid entitlements and stalled promotions, with the NLC chairman decrying that “inflation has hollowed out incomes, leaving many workers in a paradox where employment no longer guarantees survival”.
In March 2026, local government workers from all 18 council areas staged a peaceful protest over 11 months of unpaid salaries, with many struggling to meet basic needs.
Meanwhile, the state government has been conducting a verification exercise to sanitise the payroll system. The government recently uncovered over 2,000 suspected ghost workers with invalid Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), duplicate entries, and other irregularities. The LGSC had previously uncovered 800 ghost workers during an audit of the staff payroll.
Addressing council staff during the tour, Barr. Eyo disclosed that the newly appointed Commission is saddled with correcting injustices arising from the recently conducted recruitment exercise, which he described as “a total embarrassment”. He emphasised the need for productivity and efficiency in the service, adding that civil servants are employed to serve the public interest.
The Commission’s entourage included Commissioners I to VI, the Director of Administration, the Accountant, and other senior staff. Highlights of the visit included inspection of nominal rolls, attendance registers, and movement registers.
