The Cross River State Local Government Service Commission says the government of Cross River State will protect individuals who provide information to an investigative panel probing alleged irregularities in the recent local government recruitment exercise NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
Chairman of the commission, Eyo Nsa Ekpo, gave the assurance on Monday during an interaction with journalists in Calabar.
Ekpo said the panel was constituted following concerns raised by the state government over the manner in which the recruitment exercise was conducted.
According to him, the government had earlier approved 900 employment slots in two phases—500 and 400—but preliminary findings suggested that the number of persons recruited rose far beyond the approved figure.
“The essence of this interaction is to intimate the public of the resumption of sitting of the panel set up to investigate the immediate past recruitment exercise carried out by the Local Government Service Commission that was dissolved,” he said.
He explained that the panel, headed by Gershom Davies with Mary Theresa Ikwen, a former Head of Service in the state, serving as secretary, had commenced sittings at the conference room of the Office of the Head of Service.
Ekpo urged members of the public with relevant information about the recruitment process to appear before the panel or submit memoranda to assist its investigation.
He also alleged that some individuals who benefitted from the exercise were attempting to intimidate potential witnesses from testifying.
“We are aware that there are rumours going around that people are being intimidated by certain sections of those who were beneficiaries of the illicit and unwholesome acts in that recruitment process,” he said.
“We want to assure you that as a commission, we will do all within our power to protect those who will willingly appear to tell the truth.”
The commission chairman further said individuals who may have been pressured to part with money during the recruitment process should come forward with evidence, assuring them that the government would safeguard their interests.
According to him, the panel’s work is aimed at uncovering what transpired during the recruitment exercise so that the state government can take appropriate action in the interest of the public.
Ekpo added that the panel was currently receiving submissions from members of the public and would subsequently move to other parts of the state to enable affected persons to participate in the process.
He noted that while the commission has the statutory powers to recruit, discipline and dismiss local government staff, the government opted to establish the investigative panel to ensure transparency before any decision is taken.
