Cross River Governor Suspends LG Recruitment Over Fraud

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State announced the suspension of the recruitment exercise for Ogoja Local Government on Wednesday due to widespread allegations of fraud and irregularities. The decision follows public concerns regarding the monetization of job slots and a lack of transparency in the recruitment process.

Prof. Owan Enoh, the Secretary to the State Government, stated that the suspension is part of immediate measures to restore public confidence and ensure due process in the recruitment of personnel within the local government system.

The governor has approved the formation of a five-man panel to investigate the allegations and determine the extent of any infractions in the recruitment process. This panel will review the legitimacy of the recruitment procedures and invite public input through oral and written representations regarding the alleged discrepancies.

Additionally, the committee is mandated to scrutinize the actual payroll across the 18 local government councils amid concerns of possible workforce inflation. The panel is expected to convene across the three senatorial districts of the state.