The Accountant-General of Cross River State, Dr. Glory Effiong, has confirmed that about 1,000 civil servants are yet to receive their January 2026 salaries, attributing the delay to the failure of some ministries to submit updated nominal rolls. She said more than 14,000 of the state’s roughly 15,000 workers had been paid, stressing that salary processing was tied to verification aimed at eliminating absenteeism and ensuring only active staff receive wages.
A notice issued by the Accountant-General’s Office directed affected workers to channel salary enquiries through their respective permanent secretaries. Effiong maintained that payments would be made once verified nominal rolls were submitted.
However, several civil servants disputed the official figure, alleging that the number of unpaid workers is significantly higher and that payments were selective across ministries, departments and agencies. Some workers claimed they had not been paid since December 2025, while others said key sectors such as Health, Agriculture and Education were largely affected, leaving employees struggling to meet basic needs.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Gregory Olayi, confirmed that the union had received complaints and was engaging the government. He challenged the claim that non-submission of nominal rolls was solely responsible, noting that some compliant workers were still unpaid. Olayi said labour had issued a four-week ultimatum to the government to resolve the matter or face further action.
