About 1,000 civil servants in Cross River State are yet to receive their January 2026 salaries, the state’s Accountant-General, Dr. Glory Effiong, has confirmed, blaming the delay on the failure of some permanent secretaries to submit updated nominal rolls.
Dr. Effiong said more than 14,000 of the state’s roughly 15,000 workers had already been paid.
She explained that the ongoing verification exercise is intended to curb absenteeism and ensure that only active employees receive salaries, adding that payments are processed once verified nominal rolls are submitted by the relevant authorities.
A notice issued by the Accountant-General’s Office directed workers to channel all salary-related enquiries through their respective permanent secretaries.
However, several civil servants disputed the official figures, claiming the number of unpaid staff is far higher. They alleged that payments had been made selectively across ministries, departments, and agencies.
Many workers, including senior officials and local government personnel, are reportedly still owed, a situation they say has deepened their economic hardship. Some also complained that their December salaries remain outstanding.
A ministry director, Mr. Ikpi Adie, criticised the directive requiring ministries to submit updated nominal rolls after partial payments had already been made, describing the move as “unprecedented” and attributing the delays to inefficiencies in the state’s salary administration.
Another civil servant, Ms. Cecilia Offiong, voiced her frustration, saying workers were struggling to survive while salaries remained unpaid.
The chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Mr. Gregory Olayi, confirmed that the union is engaging the government to resolve the matter. He said the state government had been given a four-week ultimatum to address the workers’ concerns.
