Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has reaffirmed his administration's unwavering commitment to the welfare of workers and the protection of their rights and privileges, in line with his Peoples First mantra. The governor emphasized that workers are invaluable partners in the development of Cross River State and remain critical stakeholders who cannot be ignored.
Workers' Day Celebration
Governor Otu, represented by his deputy, Rt Hon Peter Odey, made this known during the 2026 Workers' Day celebration held at the UJ Stadium in Calabar on Friday. The event was themed “Insecurity and poverty: Bane of decent work.” He commended the state workforce for its dogged determination to sustain industrial harmony in Cross River State, which he noted remains vital for growth and development.
Worker-Oriented Projects
Governor Otu highlighted several worker-oriented projects and programmes implemented by his administration. These include monthly training of 300 civil servants in ICT capacity building, training and certification of 200 civil servants in health safety and environmental management with a target of 500, and training an additional 100 civil servants in public communication to strengthen information management across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to improve capacity and enhance productivity.
In recognition of the importance of a conducive workplace, he said his administration has connected all government offices to public power supply and is currently carrying out renovation of offices, provisions, furnishing, and supply of equipment. Government premises are also secured, thanks to 24-hour patrols by the Civil Defense Corps and the Nigerian Peace Corps. Additionally, vehicles have been provided to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Housing Scheme for Civil Servants
“We recognize the enormous responsibility of the NLC and TUC leadership to facilitate movement across the state,” the governor said. “In our unwavering commitment to worker welfare, my administration has allocated 50 hectares of land in each of the three territorial districts for a self-housing scheme, an initiative designed to provide affordable, decent, and well-planned housing for our workforce.”
In addition, the governor announced that the government has already broken ground for the construction of 1,000 housing units in the Southern Sentora district, demonstrating its resolve to turn this vision into reality. “In the same spirit, I have performed a groundbreaking ceremony for a modern staff club and event center. This project will provide a conducive space for relaxation, social interaction, official functions, and capacity building programmes. It will also strengthen staff morale, unity, and cohesion.”
Other Welfare Initiatives
Beyond these, the governor said his administration has reversed the public service manual, lifted the decade-long embargo on employment with the recruitment of about 2,000 Cross Riverians into the state civil service, and unified local government from grade level one to nine. Other initiatives include the elongation of maternity leave from 16 weeks to 24 weeks to support nursing mothers and allow adequate recovery after childbirth, and a review of civil and public service rules. The government also approved N10 billion for payment of backlog of outstanding gratuity inherited by his administration, adding that the next set of payments will be made in a couple of weeks.
Labour Leaders' Concerns
Earlier in his address, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Olayi Gregory, lamented the challenges workers face, including the rising tide of insecurity that continues to erode productivity, distort livelihoods, and suffocate the workforce, as well as monthly salaries that are helpless against the rising cost of living. He enumerated some of the workers' demands, including implementation of promotions from 2016, protection of workers recently employed under the Local Government Service Commission, harmonization of pensions in line with the new national minimum wage, payment of gratuity to retirees, correct implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage, and a halt to the planned breach of the harmonized retirement age for teachers under the Teachers Act 2022, among others.
The state chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ken Bassey, also highlighted demands such as implementation of promotions, timely payment of salaries, pension harmonization, inclusive governance, and sectoral salary adjustments.
