Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has reiterated 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.

Gov. Otu emphasized that workers are invaluable partners in the development of Cross River State and remain critical stakeholders who cannot be ignored.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Rt Hon Peter Odey made this known during the 2026 Workers’ Day celebration with the theme “Insecurity and poverty: Bane of decent work” held at the UJ Stadium Calabar, on Friday.

He commended the state workforce for its dogged determination to sustain industrial harmony in Cross River State, which he noted, remains very vital for the growth and development.

Governor Otu highlighted some of the workers- oriented projects and programmes implemented by his administration to include monthly training of 300 civil servants in ICT capacity building, the training and certification of 200 civil servants in health safety and environmental management with a target of 500, the training of additional 100 civil servants in public communication to strengthen information management across MDAs to improve capacity and enhance productivity.

In recognition of the importance of conducive workplace, he said his administration has connected all government offices to public power supply and currently carrying out renovation of offices, provisions, and furnishers and supply of equipment.

Government premises are also secured. Thanks to the 24-hour patrol by the Civil Defense Corps and the Nigerian Peace Corps. Three, provision of vehicles to NLC and TUC.

“We recognize the enormous responsibility of Oyashonda, of the NLC and TUC leadership to facilitate that movement across the state. Housing scheme for civil servants.

“In our wavering commitment to work welfare, my administration has allocated 50 hectares of land in each of the three territorial districts for the self-housing scheme, an initiative designed to provide affordable, decent, and welll-planned housing for our workforce”.

In addition to this, the governor announced that government has already broken ground for the construction of 1,000 units in 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 realization, social interaction, official function, and capacity building program. It will also strengthen staff morale, unity, and cohesion”.

Beyond these, the governor said his administration has reversed 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.

Others, he said include the elongation of maternity leave from 16 weeks to 24 weeks. to support nursing mothers and allow adequate recovery after childbirth and review of civil and public service rules, approval of N10 billion for payment of baglog of outstanding gratuity inherited by his administation, adding that the next set of payments will be done in a couple of weeks.

Earlier in his address, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Olayi Gregory lamented the challenges workers face to include the rising tide of insecurity that has continue to erod productivity, distort livelihoods, and suffocate the workforce, monthly salaries that are helpless against rising cost of living.among others.

He enumerated some of the demands of the workers to include the implementation ofpromotions from 2016,the protection of workers recent employed under the Local Government Service Commission, the harmonization of pensions in line with the new national minimum wage, payment of gratuity to retirees, the correct implementation of theN70,000 minimum wage, a halt to the planned breach of the harmonized retirement age of for teachersAct 2022, among others.

The state chairman of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Ken Bassey
Implementation of Promotions, timely payment of salaries, pension harmonization, inclusive governance, sectoral salary adjustments: among other demands.