Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has disclosed that his administration will commence the gradual payment of verified gratuity and pension arrears owed to retirees since 2001.
Otti disclosed during his monthly media chat with journalists at the Government House in Umuahia on Friday night, explaining that the state had completed a thorough review of all pending pension claims in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP).
“The committee that we set up between the national body of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners and members of my administration has just handed in the report,” he said.
Otti described the outstanding gratuities as “a very large number, dating back over 20 years,” noting that the verified arrears exceed N60 billion.
“Government is continuous, and whatever you are handed over, you deal with it. If it is assets, if it is liabilities, you pick all of them. We are unafraid to work out a solution,” he added.
Assuring pensioners of his commitment, Otti said their gratuity will be paid gradually.
The governor stated that workers’ salaries were up to date, stressing that staff welfare remained a top priority.
He also addressed the payment delay affecting newly recruited teachers.
“I have instructed everyone involved that they cannot have a weekend until every affected teacher is paid. By the end of Sunday, all the people who are affected will receive their salaries,” he said.
Otti announced that the state has reopened its recruitment portal to engage 4,000 teachers, revealing that 27,980 applications were received within two weeks, a development he said reflected public confidence in the process.
He assured applicants that recruitment would remain transparent and “cannot be manipulated” under his watch.
Regarding healthcare manpower, he stated that the recruitment of medical personnel was nearly complete, with applicants even coming from outside Nigeria.
He also highlighted recent national rankings, stating that Abia emerged the most prepared state for medical emergencies, according to SBM Intelligence, and topped the Kevlin Index for intra-city transport affordability.
“While a trip costs about N542 in Abia, the state that came last costs N1,399,” he noted, adding that newly acquired electric buses would be deployed before year-end to reduce transport costs further.
Otti reported that road construction has resumed across the state following improved weather conditions, and noted progress in land administration, revealing that Abia had issued 30,562 Certificates of Occupancy in two and a half years under the ‘C-of-O-in-30-days ‘ policy.
He stated that revenue recovery efforts had been strengthened, guided strictly by due process, including the issuance of demand notices and court orders. “We don’t look at faces; we look at numbers,” he said.
On education, the Governor announced the accreditation of 24 courses at the Abia State College of Education (Technical) and Architecture, as well as ongoing upgrades at the Abia State University and Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic.
He stated that the government had improved power, water, and road infrastructure at the NYSC camp in Bende and raised corps members’ allowances from N4,000 to between N20,000 and N50,000.
The governor also highlighted support for the Nigerian Correctional Service, including ongoing perimeter fencing and the development of a new holding centre.
He further disclosed that his plan to grant pardon to minor offenders was stalled because none of the 1,900 inmates reviewed fell into that category.
“I have asked the Zonal Coordinator to review again and identify anyone eligible for pardon as we approach year-end,” Otti said.
