Cross River State Government is set to regularise the appointment of hundreds of casual staff currently engaged in various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs.
The Head of Service, Dr. Innocent Eteng, disclosed this yesterday while addressing the College of Permanent Secretaries and the Guild of Directors as part of activities marking this year’s Civil Service Week.
Reports indicate that more than a quarter of the state’s 20,000-civil service workforce comprises casual staff, many of whom have worked for several years earning monthly stipends of between N5,000 and N10,000.
According to Dr. Eteng, the retirement of several civil servants in the past two years has created numerous vacancies in the service.
He said his office had already compiled the names of the casual staff and presented them to Governor Bassey Otu, who he described as “very disposed to matters concerning the welfare of civil servants.”
He said further, “Following my directive, my office received the list of casual staff from the MDAs, and I have presented their cases to His Excellency, the governor, who has been very forthcoming on issues affecting civil servants’ welfare.”
He added that the state had implemented the national minimum wage and was working with the Organised Labour to resolve any lingering issues.
The Head of Service further assured that junior staff would no longer be promoted ahead of their senior colleagues and emphasised that officers due for retirement must vacate their positions.
“Permanent Secretaries are only to serve for five years and must disengage in line with civil service regulations,” he said.
As part of measures to motivate workers and revitalise the service, Dr. Eteng announced that official vehicles would be allocated to eligible senior personnel, while 52 civil servants would receive awards this week, with some being granted automatic promotions.
“I urge all civil servants to be more productive in reciprocating the kind gestures of the state governor, who is very committed to their welfare,” he added.
