Frustration boiled over in Calabar on Monday as newly recruited local government workers from the 18 council areas of Cross River State staged a peaceful protest over 11 months of unpaid salaries.
The workers, employed through the Cross River State Unified Local Government Service Commission, said they had been reporting to work since April 2025 but were yet to be placed on the state payroll. Carrying placards, they appealed directly to the state governor to urgently intervene in their situation.
One of the protesters, Paul Agbor, said the demonstration was meant to draw government attention to their plight. According to him, many workers have continued to work faithfully despite receiving no pay for months.
The workers said the prolonged delay has pushed many into serious financial hardship, making it difficult to feed their families or keep their children in school. Some also revealed they had left businesses or relocated from distant communities to take up the government jobs, only to face months without pay.
Responding to the protest, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, acknowledged their concerns and assured them the issue was already being addressed.
He explained that the delay was partly due to verification processes and administrative issues surrounding the recruitment exercise, noting that the government wants to ensure only genuinely employed staff are placed on the payroll.
Owan-Enoh added that a final meeting with the governor is expected later in the week to resolve the matter and urged the workers to remain patient.
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