A group of recently hired local government employees in Cross River State organized a peaceful demonstration in Calabar to demand their unpaid salaries, which have been withheld for 11 months. The staff members are calling on Governor Bassey Otu to expedite their inclusion in the state payroll.
Despite heavy rainfall, the workers marched through key city streets toward the Governor’s Office, carrying signs expressing their financial distress and desire to be added to the payroll system. Uchi Julius, the spokesperson for the demonstrators, noted that employees hired in 2025 have been working faithfully for nearly a year. He reported that the delay has caused severe hardship, claiming that at least six employees have passed away while waiting for their compensation.
Happiness Augustine, one of the affected workers, shared her experience of completing a full year of service without receiving payment. She also mentioned the tragic loss of a colleague who died in a traffic accident while traveling to a government-mandated screening process following a previous protest.
Professor Anthony Owan Enoh, the Secretary to the State Government, addressed the crowd on behalf of the administration. He explained that a panel of inquiry formed after a prior demonstration had finalized its report, and the government is currently moving toward the implementation phase. Enoh requested patience from the group, promising that the situation would be resolved in favor of the workers within two weeks.
