In line with his electioneering promises, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has commenced the payment of salary arrears owed academic workers in the state by his predecessors.
An official source close to the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the workers include those from Abia State University, Abia State Polytechnic, Abia State College of Education (Technical Arochukwu), Abia State Teaching Hospital, and the Health Management Board, Umuahia.
Others listed are the state-owned institutions of higher learning, including the College of Health Sciences, Aba, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, and the Secondary Education Management Board, among others.
The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
He said, “The office of the Accountant General has commenced the payment of the arrears to all verified workers amounting to N17,629,767,342.09 (Seventeen billion, six hundred and twenty-nine million, seven hundred and sixty-seven thousand, three hundred and forty-two naira, nine kobo only).”
The Abia State Government stated that the payment would follow a 12-month amortization plan, with the first batch already disbursed to the affected institutions.
This structured payment is meant to ensure that other areas of governance do not suffer from lack of attention due to limited financial resources.
“By this development, the Dr. Alex Otti-led administration has once more demonstrated its commitment to the promotion and sustenance of the welfare of Abia State civil servants at all times,” the Commissioner said.
Affirming the information through a separate statement he also issued on the matter, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Ukoha Njoku, said, “Governor Alex Otti has paid the first tranche of the arrears of workers’ salaries owed by the immediate past administration.
“The governor earmarked N1.5bn monthly to instalmentally offset the N18bn arrears of salaries within 12 months. Governor Otti feels fulfilled with the thunderous jubilation and excitement of Abia workers than the bitterness of those denied access to statutory workers and retirees’ entitlements.”