The Cross River State Head of Service, Orok Bassey Okon, has formally inaugurated a committee to oversee a comprehensive personnel and pension audit aimed at strengthening workforce management, enhancing accountability, and establishing a reliable database for the State Civil Service and pension system.
The inauguration, held on Monday, May 18, 2026, at the Office of the Head of Service, brought together committee members and key consultants engaged for the exercise. The meeting was followed by a closed-door strategic session, during which modalities, operational procedures, and implementation frameworks for the audit were extensively deliberated.
Addressing the committee, the Chief Consultant of Appmart Integrated Ltd, Mako Sylvester, disclosed that the exercise would be conducted in three carefully structured phases to ensure accuracy, transparency, and efficiency across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
According to him, the first phase will involve an online verification process during which workers and pensioners will be required to update their records and upload relevant credentials through a dedicated digital portal. He further explained that secure verification codes would be transmitted to the leadership and administrative heads of all MDAs for onward circulation to their personnel to facilitate seamless participation.
The second phase, he noted, will focus on physical verification, involving face-to-face interactions and validation exercises across all MDAs and relevant government institutions statewide.
Mako further stated that the final phase, known as the Capture Stage, will introduce a structured attendance and workforce monitoring system designed to digitally record staff resumption and closing times on a near-daily basis to promote efficiency, discipline, and accountability within the service.
He also confirmed that pensioners across the state will be captured during the exercise as part of the government’s commitment to developing a comprehensive and credible personnel and pension database.
The session was highly interactive, with committee members seeking clarifications on implementation procedures, operational timelines, and logistics, while the consultants and relevant officials provided detailed responses where necessary.
Speaking during the engagement, the Head of Service emphasized the importance of the exercise, noting that the state payroll system had not undergone a comprehensive update in the last ten years. He described the initiative as a critical reform that would provide the government with a near-perfect database for effective planning, personnel administration, and improved service delivery.
The Head of Service further assured workers and pensioners that the process would be transparent, technology-driven, and professionally managed in line with global best practices. He therefore called on all stakeholders to cooperate fully with the committee to ensure the successful execution of the exercise.
The personnel and pension audit is expected to significantly reposition the Cross River State Civil Service through improved data management, institutional accountability, and enhanced administrative efficiency.
By Kera Okem
