By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
A fresh disagreement has emerged between the Cross River State Head of Service, Orok Bassey Okon, and the Chairman of the State Local Government Service Commission, Eyo Nsa Ekpo, over the proposed recruitment of 4,000 personnel into the state’s Unified Local Government Service.
The dispute followed a circular issued by the Head of Service directing ministries, departments and agencies to submit comprehensive manpower and skills-gap analyses to his office to facilitate the implementation of Governor Bassey Otu’s directive on a fresh recruitment exercise.
But the Local Government Service Commission rejected the directive, insisting that recruitment into the Unified Local Government Service falls within its statutory mandate.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ekpo said the commission had already conducted a needs assessment across the 18 local government areas and would proceed with the recruitment through a transparent, digital and merit-based process.
The statement was issued in response to Circular No. 17/2026, with reference number GO/HOS/4/Vol. III/364, dated September 11, 2026, issued by the Head of Service.
Ekpo said the commission was empowered by law to recruit into the Unified Local Government Service, subject to the approval of the governor.
He said the Head of Service had no statutory responsibility to recruit staff into the Local Government Service or direct the commission’s recruitment process.
“It is not the duty of the Head of Service to recruit staff into the Local Government Service, nor to meddle in, direct, or interfere with the processes of the Local Government Service Commission,” the statement said.
The disagreement comes against the backdrop of the state government’s approval for the recruitment of 4,000 workers to fill manpower gaps across the 18 local government areas.
The commission said the exercise was intended to replace the controversial 2024/2025 recruitment conducted by the former Local Government Service Commission, which was later cancelled, except for 821 appointments approved by Governor Otu.
The 821 included 83 personnel previously employed by the Civil Service Commission and redesignated for the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC.
The commission described the cancelled exercise as flawed, alleging that it was conducted without the required executive approval and was marred by alleged job racketeering, commercialisation of employment slots and non-compliance with relevant laws and financial regulations.
It said qualified persons affected by the cancellation would be allowed to reapply when the new recruitment portal opens.
The commission also said arrangements were being concluded for possible compensatory measures for genuine victims of the previous exercise.
The commission urged stakeholders to rely on official information regarding the recruitment and disregard directives it said amounted to interference with its statutory functions.
It reaffirmed that the new recruitment would be conducted digitally and based on due process, transparency and merit.