The Akwa Ibom State Government has approved the recruitment of 3,000 workers across various sectors in the state.
Of the said 3,000 positions, the mainstream civil service, healthcare, and teaching sectors have each been allocated 1,000 slots.
This was disclosed to the press on Monday by the State’s Head of Civil Service (HOCS), Elder Effiong Essien, during a media parley heralding the 2025 Public Service Week Celebration in the state.
The recruitment, according to the Head of Civil Service, follows the recently concluded verification exercise for public servants in Akwa Ibom State, which was ordered by Governor Umo Eno last year.
Essien revealed that the verification exercise, which was opened to the 55,000 public servants on the payroll, ended with fewer than 53,000 workers reporting, resulting in the weeding out of 2,208 individuals who failed to turn up for the exercise. This, he said, “created an avenue for vacancies in the public sector in Akwa Ibom State.”
“I want to also gladly report that arising from that verification exercise, and on the heels of this Public Service Week Celebration, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, has approved the recruitment of 3,000 workers into the public service of Akwa Ibom—one thousand workers to the main service of Akwa Ibom State, one thousand for medical personnel, and one thousand to the teaching service.
“Also, within this period of the 2025 Public Service Week Celebration, His Excellency has approved the release of the 2025 promotion for public servants in the state. He has also approved and released N2.5 billion for clearing the backlog of the 7.5% contributory pension scheme that was suspended in 2013,” Elder Effiong Essien disclosed.
He also seized the opportunity to commend Pastor Umo Eno, whom he described as a workers-friendly governor, thanking him for always prioritizing the welfare of workers. He highlighted the new N80,000 minimum wage, prompt payment of salaries, the donation of 150 units of two-bedroom flats at Grace Estate to civil servants in the lower cadre, as well as the donation of brand-new SUVs to permanent secretaries in the state, as clear evidence of the Governor’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
He particularly praised the Governor’s efforts in substantially clearing the backlog of pensions and gratuities, which he met at N90 billion, noting that the debt has now been reduced to about N30 billion.
Speaking elaborately on the activities earmarked for the 2025 Public Service Week, which has as its theme “Leveraging Technology for a Smart and Agile Public Service,” Elder Essien disclosed that the event will officially kick-start this Wednesday with a public lecture scheduled to hold at the Civil Service Auditorium by 11:00 a.m., with the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, as the guest lecturer.
He added that a novelty football match between the mainstream civil service and local government service staff is billed for Friday at 4:00 p.m., while a road walk is scheduled for Saturday at 7:00 a.m., with the takeoff point at the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat Field.
The Public Service Week Celebration will climax on Sunday, 29th June 2025, with a thanksgiving service at the International Worship Center, where the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is expected as Special Guest.