Otu suspends C’River LG recruitment over fraud allegations

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has suspended the ongoing Local Government Service recruitment exercise following allegations of racketeering and widespread irregularities.

The development follows reactions from residents, many of whom had raised concerns over the alleged monetisation of job slots and lack of transparency in the recruitment process.

The decision was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Owan Enoh, amid growing public concern over the credibility of the exercise.

“The suspension is part of immediate measures to restore public confidence and ensure that due process is followed in the recruitment of personnel into the local government system,” the statement read.

Enoh disclosed that the governor had also approved the constitution of a five-man panel of inquiry to investigate the allegations and determine the extent of infractions in the recruitment process.

The panel will review the propriety, legitimacy, and procedures of the recruitment exercise, and invite the public to make oral or written representations regarding alleged discrepancies and irregularities,” the statement added.

It was further gathered that the committee has been mandated to scrutinise the actual payroll across the 18 local government councils amid concerns over possible inflation of workforce figures.

To ensure wider participation, the panel is expected to sit across the three senatorial districts of the state and may invite individuals considered relevant to its investigation.

Enoh noted that the suspension and subsequent probe underscore the government’s commitment to fairness, accountability, and good governance, assuring residents that anyone found culpable in the alleged racketeering would be sanctioned in accordance with the law.