The Cross River State Government has discontinued the extension of service for retirees in the state public service, ending a long-standing practice that allowed some workers to remain in service beyond the statutory retirement age.
The move, according to government, is aimed at creating opportunities for younger professionals in the state’s workforce, curbing redundancy, and ensuring a steady career progression plan within the civil service.
Outgoing Head of Service, Innocent Eteng, announced the decision on Friday during his valedictory speech at a retirement and pull-out ceremony held in his honour at the State New Secretariat Complex, Calabar.
Eteng disclosed that Governor Bassey Otu approved the policy to enforce strict compliance with the 35 years of service or 60 years of age retirement threshold.
“Henceforth, any civil or public servant who retires after 35 years of service or upon attaining 60 years of age must completely exit the service,” he declared.
Reflecting on his two-year tenure, Eteng expressed gratitude to Governor Otu for the opportunity to serve and highlighted several reforms that transformed the state’s civil service.
He listed the review of the Cross River State Civil and Public Service Rules in 2025, the approval and implementation of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage since December 2024, the payment of gratuities to retirees up to 2015, the recruitment of 2,000 new workers, the approval of incremental steps for civil servants, and the introduction of monthly sanitation exercises in government offices as key achievements.
Eteng urged civil servants to support his successor, Orok Okon, to sustain and expand these gains.
In his response, Okon commended Eteng for his landmark reforms and pledged to consolidate on the progress made. Members of the College of Permanent Secretaries and Directors also paid glowing tributes, describing Eteng’s tenure as impactful and wishing him success in his future endeavours.
