By Our Reporter
The Cross River State Government has declared that it will not succumb to pressure or blackmail over the controversial recruitment into the Local Government Service, insisting that any decision on the matter would be guided by due process and the overall interest of the state.
The position was made known by the Chairman of the Cross River State Local Government Service Commission, Hon. Barr. Eyo Nsa Ekpo, in a statement issued Thursday in reaction to the protest by individuals claiming to be newly employed local government workers who alleged that they had gone 11 months without salaries.
Ekpo maintained that the administration of Governor Bassey Otu remained committed to transparency and the rule of law, stressing that government would not validate appointments that did not receive lawful approval.
According to him, the individuals who staged the protest were victims of an organised employment syndicate that allegedly exploited job seekers by issuing fake appointment letters in exchange for huge sums of money.
He explained that investigations revealed that after approval was granted for the recruitment of over 700 personnel into the Local Government Service, some unscrupulous persons allegedly reproduced employment documents and sold them to unsuspecting members of the public without the knowledge or authorisation of the state government.
“The Cross River State Government therefore appeals to members of the public, particularly those affected, to remain calm and allow the government to conclude the process already initiated. The administration will not succumb to pressure or blackmail to take decisions that would compromise due process or the long-term interest of the state,” Ekpo said.
The Commission Chairman further stated that the state government was not owing salaries to any lawfully employed local government worker, insisting that all legitimate employees who were duly recruited and captured on the government payroll were receiving their salaries as and when due.
He disclosed that a panel constituted by Governor Otu to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disputed recruitment had concluded its assignment and submitted its report.
According to him, the panel established that there was no executive approval for the recruitments under which the protesters claimed employment.
“The panel’s findings confirmed that there was no executive approval for the purported recruitments under which the protesters claim employment,” he stated.
Ekpo said government sympathised with citizens who fell victim to the alleged employment scam but noted that it could not assume responsibility for appointments that were never authorised or issued through the lawful recruitment process.
He argued that recognising such appointments would amount to legitimising fraud and undermining the integrity of the public service.
The Commission Chairman, however, assured that the government was studying the recommendations of the investigative panel and would implement appropriate decisions arising from the report within the next two weeks.
He added that those decisions would reflect the wishes and aspirations of the people of Cross River State while ensuring that all persons found culpable in the alleged recruitment scam were brought to justice.
The protesters had earlier marched through major streets of Calabar despite a downpour, demanding their enrolment on the state payroll and payment of salaries they claimed had remained outstanding for almost one year.