C’River LG workers protest 11 months’ unpaid salaries
Newly recruited local government workers in Cross River State on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Calabar over 11 months of unpaid salaries, calling on Governor Bassey Otu to approve their enrolment on the state payroll.
The workers, drawn from local government areas across the state, marched through major streets despite heavy rainfall before converging at the Governor’s Office. They carried placards with inscriptions such as: “We are suffering,” “Put us on the payroll,” and “We need our salaries.”
*LG workers protest over 11 months unpaid salaries in C'River State
Newly recruited local government workers in Cross River State on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Calabar over 11 months of unpaid salaries, calling on Governor Bassey Otu to approve their enrolment on the state payroll.
The workers, drawn from local government areas across the state, marched through major streets despite heavy rainfall before converging at the Governor’s Office. They carried placards with inscriptions such as: “We are suffering,” “Put us on the payroll,” and “We need our salaries.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the group’s leader, Uchi Julius, said many of the workers employed in 2025 had reported for duty and worked for nearly a year without receiving salaries.
Julius said the prolonged delay had caused severe hardship among the workers and their families.
“We are hungry and suffering. We have lost more than six colleagues, and they can never return,” he said.
“We did not come here to beg for money; we came to demand payment for the work we have done.”
One of the protesters, Happiness Augustine, said she had worked for about a year without receiving any salary.
“I was employed in 2025, but I have not received any salary since then. I have spent one year in service without being paid,” she said.
“We are appealing to Governor Bassey Otu to intervene and ensure that we are placed on the payroll because we have remained diligent in carrying out our duties.”
Augustine also said a colleague died in a road accident while travelling to a government-organised screening exercise following an earlier protest by the workers.
“We protested previously, and a panel was set up. During the screening exercise, one of our colleagues was involved in an accident while travelling and died,” she said.
Responding on behalf of the state government, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, said a panel of inquiry established after the workers’ earlier protest had completed its assignment and submitted its report.
Enoh said the government had issued a white paper and had commenced the implementation process.
“When you came here previously, I reported your concerns to the governor, and a panel of inquiry was established. The panel has submitted its report, and we are now at the implementation stage,” he said.
The SSG urged the workers to remain patient, assuring them that their concerns would be addressed within two weeks.
“I assure you that within two weeks, all of you will smile. If you have waited for almost a year, two weeks is not too long,” Enoh said.
