CALABAR, NIGERIA – Cross River Governor Bassey Edet Otu has inaugurated the Local Government Service Commission Complex, demanding discipline and productivity from workers across the state.
The facility, abandoned for over a decade, was revived in 2023 and completed under Otu’s administration in less than two years.
“No project under my watch will be abandoned,” the governor declared in Calabar, citing a 40% completion rate of inherited projects.
Otu emphasized that restoring workers’ morale requires systemic change, urging staff to eliminate ghost workers and match government’s efforts with dedication.
“We’ll pay gratuities within a week of retirement,” Otu pledged, “but ghost workers delay our progress. We must restore integrity in service.”
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He described the Commission as one of the state’s most neglected institutions, now central to his government’s infrastructure revitalization strategy.
Permanent Secretary Mrs. Caro Asikpo, representing the Commissioner for Local Government, praised the project as “a symbol of integrity and service restoration.”
“This isn’t just a building—it’s a call to duty,” she told attendees, lauding Otu’s leadership during the commissioning ceremony.
Hon. Darlington Bassey, Commission Chairman, said over 200 ghost workers had been identified, adding, “We’re restoring local government to its rightful place.”
Governor Otu handed over commissioning duties to Col. PAM Ogar (Rtd.), a former Military Administrator, marking the complex’s official unveiling.
Nsa Gill, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, stated the event aligns with Otu’s “People First” agenda, focused on reform and accountability.