Akwa Ibom State Government has been accused of secretly recruiting persons into the State Civil Service even though it has not declared its employment open since 2015.
DAILY POST gathered that the approval for employment in the State is usually signed with ‘special biros in distinctive colour.’
According to sources close to journalists in Uyo, employees have been resuming in various ministries, departments and agencies in the State without undergoing any formal employment process.
The sources told journalists that some top government officials and politicians reportedly use their connections to secure employment for their friends and relatives, while other applicants pay huge amounts of money to some corrupt government officials to secure employment for them.
The amount paid, it was gathered, was between N200, 000 to N300,000.
One of the applicants, Mrs Enobong Akpaah disclosed that she paid N250,000 to a top government official to secure a job but has not gotten the job.
“We are many who have paid to get a civil service job. I have paid since April last year. Others who paid have resumed work. I am yet to get my employment letter”, she said.
Also, an inside source in the Civil Service, who pleaded anonymity, said they always saw new employees coming for documentation in their office almost on a daily basis as part of the requirements for eligibility for payroll.
It was further gathered that the secret employment is not restricted to the State Civil Service, but was also being carried out in the Local Government Service Commission, as well as federal agencies in the State.
However, the State government through the Head of the State Civil Service, Mr. Effiong Essien has denied the allegation.
Both the Head of Civil Service and the Chairman, Civil Service Commission denied the ongoing secret employment, admitting, however, that those being employed were selected from the data bank of those who had earlier responded to its advertised vacancies.
Also addressing the press recently at the NUJ press center, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, when asked about the ongoing secret employment in the State, denied it, but failed to make any reference to the new employees that had reported at the ministry of Information and Strategy.