The Cross River State Government says its ongoing payroll verification exercise has uncovered more than 2,000 questionable entries across the state wage system, in what officials describe as a major clean-up of long-standing irregularities within public service records.
The development comes amid rising labour concerns and a strike threat from the Nigeria Union of Teachers over salary disruptions, prompting government to hold an interactive session with labour leaders in Calabar, to clarify the scope of the exercise and address growing concerns.
While government insists that the process is necessary to eliminate ghost workers and clean up the payroll system, labour leaders say some genuine workers have been affected.
The State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Victor-Felix Idem, however assured that affected workers would be reinstated once BVN discrepancies are resolved through proper bank verification processes, as labour unions have been granted access to relevant payroll records, as part of measures to ensure transparency.
Reacting, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Greg Olayi, called for faster resolution of verified cases, particularly regarding pending promotions and salary adjustments.
As the verification exercise deepens, attention now turns to how quickly the state can conclude the audit without further disruption to workers whose livelihoods depend on timely salary payments.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
