The Deputy Governor of Cross River State Rt. Hon. Peter Odey says it has come to his attention that some unscrupulous individuals have been impersonating him on social media platform especially on Facebook over fake promises of employment opportunities, scholarship, and other benefits, requesting payment from unsuspecting members of the public.
Odey made this known via a release by his Chief Press Secretary Fred Abua Esq. Saying the office of the deputy governor disassociate itself from the malicious activities being carried out by the petty criminals.
He said he has condemned in the strongest possible terms the fraudsters masquerading to deceive and exploit innocent citizens not minding the harsh economic realities the country is experiencing at the moment.
The deputy governor said his office has never and will never request payments, no matter how small through social media platform, nor will it transact any Governmment business through any unofficial channels.
According to him, employment opportunities, scholarship and related programs offered by the Cross River State Governmment will always be made public through official and legitimate channels, such as publication from Civil Service Commission and authorized media channels.
The release in part, urged the public to exercise extreme caution and vigilant while interacting in social media and other online platforms.
“We encourage everyone to verify the authenticity of any communication claiming to be the deputy governor or from his office before taking any action or providing personal information.”
“The office of the deputy governor remains committed to serving the people of Cross River State with transparency, integrity and accountability,” it continued.
“In the light of these recent incidents, we have reported the fraudulent accounts to the relevant authorities and we will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that these fraudsters are apprehended and held accountable for their actions.”
“We value the trust placed in us by the public and will take every necessary step to protect the interest of our citizens,” it said.