Governor Alex Otti has announced that the Abia State Government will begin the phased settlement of verified pension and gratuity arrears dating back to 2001. The governor made this known during his monthly media briefing held Friday night at the Government House, Umuahia.
Otti revealed that a joint committee comprising representatives of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners and officials of his administration had concluded a comprehensive audit of all pending claims.
According to him, the findings were sobering. “The committee has just submitted its report. It is sad to note that pension arrears have been outstanding since 2001, and the total verified liability exceeds N60 billion,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the scale of the inherited debt but maintained that his administration was prepared to confront it. “Government is continuous. Whatever is handed over — whether assets or liabilities — must be addressed. We are not afraid to find a workable solution,” he added.
Otti assured retirees that the backlog would be cleared in phases: “Our pensioners will not be abandoned. Their gratuities will be paid gradually.”
He also stated that workers’ salaries remain up to date. However, he confirmed that a payment hitch had affected some newly recruited teachers. He said he had ordered immediate rectification. “I have directed that nobody should go into the weekend until every affected teacher is paid. By Sunday, they will all receive their salaries.”
The governor disclosed that the state reopened its recruitment portal to engage 4,000 teachers, and within two weeks, 27,980 applications were received. He emphasised that the process would remain transparent. “If you qualify, you will be taken. If you don’t, no connection will help you,” he stressed.
On healthcare manpower, Otti said the recruitment of medical professionals was nearing completion, noting that some applicants applied from outside Nigeria. He highlighted a recent ranking by SBM Intelligence which placed Abia as the most prepared state for medical emergencies.
He also referenced the Kevlin Index, where Abia ranked highest for affordable intra-city transportation. “A trip costs about N542 in Abia. The state at the bottom charges over N1,300. The difference is significant,” he said.
Otti announced that newly acquired electric buses would begin operations before the end of the year to further ease transport costs.
Speaking on infrastructure, the governor confirmed that road construction had resumed across the state with contractors instructed to accelerate work now that the rains have subsided.
He further disclosed that Abia has issued 30,562 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) in the last two and a half years under its streamlined 30-day C-of-O policy. “Some states haven’t achieved this number in eight years,” he noted.
On revenue, Otti said the government was enforcing recovery measures fairly. “We don’t look at faces; we look at figures. Anyone owing the state will be visited by the Harmonised Task Force — but only after all legal procedures, including court orders, are met,” he said.
The governor also reviewed ongoing school renovations, curriculum upgrades and the recent reaccreditation of 24 courses at the Abia State College of Education (Technical). He commended students of Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic for producing waste bins currently used by the state environmental agency.
He highlighted improvements in power and public utilities, including the upgrading of the NYSC camp in Bende, where allowances were also raised from N4,000 to between N20,000 and N50,000.
Otti added that the state is helping the Nigerian Correctional Service by constructing perimeter fencing and a new holding facility to ease congestion.
He said plans to grant pardons to inmates were delayed because none of the 1,900 prisoners had been convicted for minor offences. “I have asked the Zonal Coordinator to review the cases again to identify anyone who may qualify for clemency before year-end,” he said.