By Desire Emmanuel
A massive cash for employment scandal has been uncovered at the Cross River State Local Government Service Commission involving some of the top officials during its current recruitment process.
In fact, the scandal has claimed its first casualty as the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr Darlington Bassey Eyo, has resigned his appointment after it was uncovered.
Also, the state governor, Mr Bassey Edet Otu, on Wednesday, November 12, ordered the suspension of the recruitment process with immediate effect.
Impeccable sources close to the Government House in Calabar, the state capital, told Impact Nigeria News Online that many heads may roll as the governor has set up a committee to investigate the matter, identify those responsible and recommend appropriate disciplinary actions.
It was gathered that some of the top officials of the commission responsible for employing people into various local government areas in state turned the employment process into money making venture.
They were said to have collected huge amounts of money from applicants with the promise to put them in “juicy” local governments, especially Calabar Municipality, Calabar South and others.
According to the source, the lid of the scandal was blown open when some of the applicants who were qualified for the recruitment were rejected over their inability to pay the officials while those with lesser qualifications but who paid good money were considered for employment.
This was said to have got to the attention of the state government and when some government officials carried out a discreet investigation, it was found to be true.
The source disclosed that the chairman was summoned to the Governor’s Office and confronted with the report. He was said to have been given a query and this must have led to his resignation.
The state governor confirmed the resignation of the chairman in a statement on Wednesday night that also announced the suspension of the recruitment process.
“Following findings of gross misconduct and employment racketeering in the Local Government Service Commission, I have accepted the resignation of the Commission’s Chairman, Mr. Darlington Bassey Eyo.
“Accordingly, I have ordered the immediate suspension of the compromised recruitment process pending a transparent and merit-driven review.
“A special committee will be set up to investigate the matter, identify those responsible, and recommend appropriate disciplinary actions,” the governor said.
