Cross River State Salary Delay: Why 1,000 Workers Are Yet to Receive January Pay

 

​The civil service in Cross River State has been hit by a wave of anxiety as over 1,000 workers remain unpaid for the month of January 2026. While the majority of the state’s workforce received their remunerations weeks ago, a significant pocket of employees—largely from the healthcare and local government sectors—have been left in a state of financial limbo. On Friday, February 13, 2026, the Cross River State Accountant General (AG), Mrs. Glory Effiong, officially addressed the situation, shedding light on the administrative bottlenecks and verification hurdles responsible for the delay. This development has sparked a broader conversation about payroll integrity and the transition to digital financial management in the state.

​The Root Cause: Verification and Bank Mismatches

​According to the Accountant General, the primary reason for the unpaid salaries is not a lack of funds, but rather discrepancies discovered during the automated payroll processing phase. Mrs. Effiong explained that many of the affected workers have issues ranging from incorrect Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to mismatched names on the state’s human resource management system compared to their banking records.

​In an effort to ensure that "ghost workers" are eliminated from the state’s payroll, the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration has implemented a more rigorous vetting process. The AG noted that about 1,000 names were flagged by the system because their documentation did not align with the new security protocols. "We are working to ensure that every kobo of taxpayers' money goes to legitimate, active workers," she stated, emphasizing that the delay is a necessary measure for long-term fiscal discipline.

​Impacted Sectors: Healthcare and Local Government

​The delay has most severely impacted workers within the Primary Healthcare Development Agency and several Local Government Areas (LGAs). These essential workers, many of whom are on the front lines of rural development, have expressed their frustrations over the rising cost of living and the difficulty of commuting to work without their January pay.

​Labor unions in the state have been in constant communication with the Office of the Accountant General to fast-track the resolution. While the unions acknowledge the need for verification, they have urged the government to decentralize the correction process to prevent workers from having to travel long distances to the state capital, Calabar, just to rectify minor banking errors.

​Governor Bassey Otu’s Commitment to Workers’ Welfare

​Since assuming office, Governor Bassey Otu has made "People First" his administrative mantra, frequently highlighting his commitment to the prompt payment of salaries and pensions. This current hitch is seen as a technical setback rather than a policy shift. The administration recently announced plans to fully migrate to an Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) variant tailored for Cross River State to prevent such occurrences in the future.

​The AG reassured the public that the Governor has already given the executive approval for the release of the funds. Once the individual corrections are made by the affected workers at the payroll office, their payments will be triggered immediately. "The money is there; we just need to be sure we are paying the right people," Effiong added.

​Step-by-Step: How Affected Workers Can Resolve the Issue

​For the 1,000 civil servants caught in this delay, the Accountant General’s office has outlined a clear path for resolution:

1. ​Verification of Data: Workers are advised to check with their respective Heads of Departments (HODs) to see if their names were on the flagged list.
2. ​Banking Updates: Those with BVN or name mismatches must provide a bank statement or a letter of correction from their financial institution.
3. ​Physical Clearing: A skeletal staff has been dedicated at the Ministry of Finance to handle these specific cases daily until the backlog is cleared.

​Conclusion: A Necessary Step Toward Payroll Sanity

​While the delay of January salaries is a significant hardship for the affected 1,000 workers, the Cross River State government maintains that it is a vital step toward a more transparent and efficient civil service. By identifying these discrepancies now, the state prevents the perennial problem of double-dipping and fraudulent claims that have historically drained the treasury. As the verification process concludes, normalcy is expected to return, with all legitimate workers receiving their full entitlements.