Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has approved the payment of ₦50,000 each as transport allowance to the 33,461 applicants who participated in the just-concluded Computer-Based Test (CBT) for civil service recruitment — a gesture totaling over ₦1.6 billion.
The governor announced the approval after receiving a briefing from the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Frank Ekpenyong, on the outcome of the recruitment exercise.
In a statement issued by the Government House Press Unit on Friday, Governor Eno also disclosed that candidates who did not meet the minimum cut-off mark would be enrolled in the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Programme.
He noted that although the state cannot absorb every applicant into the civil service, the administration’s ongoing infrastructural projects would require a broad pool of skilled workers.
According to the governor, oral interviews for the 12,000 applicants who scored between 50 and 90 per cent in the CBT will hold between January and February 2026.
He directed the immediate setting up of a committee to oversee the interview and final screening process, adding that 4,000 successful candidates are expected to receive their employment letters by the first week of March 2026.
“We need four thousand now. Next time we need one thousand, we simply select from this database. So, there is hope,” he said.
Governor Eno further ordered the creation of a digital database for the remaining successful candidates, stressing that they will be given priority consideration for future recruitment within the next two to three years.
Speaking at the event, he commended the committee for a transparent and credible process and directed the Head of Civil Service, Elsie Peters, to begin preparations for the induction of newly employed safety officers and lawyers, and to carry out safety audits across ministries, departments, and public facilities.
Earlier in his presentation, Ekpenyong revealed that a total of 37,314 persons applied for the civil service recruitment, out of which 33,461 sat for the CBT. Of that number, 12,502 candidates scored 50 per cent and above.
Other officials, including the Head of Service, the Civil Service Commission chair, and the Rector of DASAC, thanked the governor for supporting a merit-driven recruitment process.
