Governor Bassey Otu has halted the ongoing recruitment into the Cross River State Local Government Service Commission following mounting allegations of fraud, racketeering and procedural abuse in the exercise.

The suspension was announced in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Anthony Owan Enoh, who said the move became necessary after a wave of public complaints about the integrity of the process. Applicants and civil society groups had accused officials and middlemen of selling job slots, manipulating shortlists and shutting out qualified candidates unable to pay alleged illegal fees.

According to the statement, the governor ordered an immediate stop to all recruitment activities as an initial step to “restore public confidence and ensure that due process is followed in the recruitment of personnel into the local government system.”

To unravel the allegations, Otu approved the setting up of a five-member panel of inquiry with a broad mandate to investigate the conduct of the exercise. The panel is to examine the propriety, legality and procedures adopted by the Local Government Service Commission and any other agencies involved.

The inquiry will take oral and written submissions from members of the public, including applicants, whistle-blowers and officials, on alleged monetisation of positions, irregular shortlisting, and any other form of malpractice. It is also empowered to review documents, interview key actors and recommend sanctions where necessary.

Beyond the recruitment exercise, the panel has been directed to scrutinise the existing payrolls of the 18 local government councils. This follows concerns that staff figures may have been inflated over time, placing additional strain on already limited council finances and undermining service delivery at the grassroots.

To encourage broad participation and reduce fears of intimidation, the panel is expected to sit in locations across the state’s three senatorial districts, rather than confining hearings to the capital. Individuals considered relevant to the probe may be invited to testify under oath.

Enoh stressed that the suspension and investigation reflect the Otu administration’s pledge to entrench fairness, accountability and transparency in public service recruitment. He assured residents that anyone found complicit in racketeering or other abuses would face appropriate disciplinary and legal consequences.