Salary Delay: Cross River Civil Servants Accuse Govt Of Selective Payment

Some civil servants in Cross River have decried non-payment of January salaries, alleging selective payment across ministries and agencies in the state.

Mr Thomas Adie, a Director in one of the ministries, disclosed while speaking with newsmen Thursday in Calabar.

He alleged that over 70 per cent of workers, including local government staff, were yet to receive January salaries.

Adie alleged that “some political appointees and selected staff were paid, while many others in ministries such as Health, Agriculture and Education remained unpaid.”

According to him, the delay has worsened hardship, with workers unable to meet basic needs, including school fees and feeding.

He criticised the directive asking ministries to submit updated nominal rolls, questioning why salary verification was introduced after partial payments were made.

“This development is unprecedented and I believe it is due to the inefficiency in salary administration at the Office of the Accountant-General,” Adie said.

Another civil servant, Mrs Grace Offiong, averred that it was annoying that workers in the state have not been paid their salaries for January by February 12 while the governor placed priority attention on things like Valentine party.

“Go around the city of Calabar you will see big billboards advertising the governor’s Valentine party while the last time we saw our salaries was on Dec. 12, 2025,” she narrated.

“Some state government paid an additional 13 month salary to their staff in December 2025 but that was not the case for Cross River workers yet they are still being owed,” she added.

Responding, the Accountant-General of Cross River, Dr Glory Effiong, confirmed that some workers were unpaid, blaming permanent secretaries for failing to submit updated nominal rolls.

Effiong said over 14,000 out of about 15,000 workers had been paid adding that the Head of Service (HoS) was not complaining while insisting that salaries were processed upon receipt of verified nominal rolls.

“This measure is necessary to address absenteeism and to ensure only workers who report to duty receive salaries,” Effiong said.

“Some Ministries, Departments and Agencies are still submitting nominal rolls as at the time of filing this report, so it is not my fault,” she added.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Gregory Olayi, in Cross River, confirmed receiving complaints from affected workers.

Olayi said labour was engaging the government, dismissing claims that non-submission of nominal rolls was solely responsible for the delay.

He stressed that primary school teachers and local government workers were among those affected, with some councils officials yet to receive outstanding salaries.

The NLC chairman stated that the state government had been given a four-week window to address the concerns, warning that labour would take further action if necessary.