By Christopher Tom
CALABAR — Newly employed local government workers in Cross River State on Monday staged a peaceful protest in Calabar over the non-payment of their salaries for 11 months, appealing to Governor Bassey Otu to urgently approve their enrolment on the state payroll.
The protesters, who were recruited through the Cross River State Unified Local Government Service Commission and deployed across the state’s 18 local government areas, said they have continued to report for duty since their employment in April 2025 without receiving a single month’s salary. They maintained that despite being duly employed, they have not been captured on the government’s payroll.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “We are working without pay,” “Place us on the payroll,” and “Governor Otu, hear our cry,” the workers marched peacefully to the Governor’s Office, calling for immediate government intervention.
One of the protesters, Paul Agbor, said the demonstration was intended to draw the attention of the state government to the plight of the affected workers. “We are not on the payroll, yet we have been going to work consistently. We are simply appealing to the government to address our situation and allow us to receive the salaries we have earned,” he said.
In a letter presented to Governor Otu, the workers expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve the state but lamented that the prolonged delay in salary payments had subjected them and their families to severe hardship.
According to them, many had resigned from private jobs or relocated from distant communities after receiving their appointment letters, only to find themselves without income for nearly a year. They added that the situation had made it difficult to pay school fees, feed their families, meet healthcare needs and fulfil other basic financial obligations. �
The workers appealed to the governor to direct the relevant agencies to complete the necessary documentation and immediately include them in the state payroll system, stressing that they remain committed to serving the people of Cross River State. Responding to the protest, the Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Professor Anthony Owan-Enoh, assured the demonstrators that the government was already addressing the matter.
He acknowledged the workers’ constitutional right to protest peacefully and disclosed that several meetings had been held by the government to resolve the payroll issue. Owan-Enoh appealed to the workers to remain patient, assuring them that the administration of Governor Bassey Otu was committed to finding a lasting solution to their grievances.