C’River LG workers storm governor’s office over 11 months’ unpaid salaries

n n

.within 2 weeks, you all will smile – SSG

n

By Ike Uchechukwu, Calabar

n

Newly employed local government workers in Cross River State have staged a peaceful protest in Calabar over 11 months of unpaid salaries, urging Governor Bassey Otu to approve their enrolment on the state payroll.

n

The protesters, drawn from local government areas across the state, defied a heavy downpour to march through major streets to the Governor’s Office, brandishing placards that read “We are suffering,” “Payroll us,” and “We need our salaries.”

n

Speaking for the group, protest leader Uchi Julius said many of those employed in 2025 had reported for duty and worked diligently for nearly a year without pay, a delay he said had pushed some colleagues to their deaths.

n

“We are hungry. We are dying. We have lost more than six colleagues. They can never return,” Julius said.

n

“One of the campaign promises was massive employment. Today, the 2,000 health workers said to have been employed are here, yet many of us have not been paid.

n

“We didn’t come here to beg for money; we came to ask for what we have worked for,” he said.

n

Among the protesters was Happiness Augustine, who said she had rendered a full year of service without receiving a single salary.

n

“I was employed in 2025. Up till now, I have not been paid. It is one year in my office, and I have not received any salary. We are begging Governor Bassey Otu to have mercy on us and pay us because we have been diligent in our duties,” she said.

n

Augustine disclosed that a colleague died in a road accident while travelling to a government-organised screening exercise held after an earlier protest.

n

“We came for a protest before, and a panel was set up. During the screening process, one of our colleagues had an accident on his way and died.

n

“We are still waiting for the governor to say something. We are pleading with him to help us,” she said.

n

Responding on behalf of the government, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, said a panel of inquiry set up after the earlier protest had submitted its report, with a white paper now guiding implementation.

n

“When you came here last time, I reported your concerns to the governor and a panel of inquiry was set up. That panel has submitted its report, and we are now at the implementation stage,” Enoh said,

n

Enoh, who urged the workers to be patient.assured them something would be done within two weeks.

n

“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,” he said.

n n