The Commissioner praised the Alex Otti administration for its commitment to the welfare of civil servants, stating that the payments represent a significant step toward improving the livelihoods of workers across the state.
Umuahia, Nigeria – Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has commenced the payment of salary arrears owed to academic and health workers in the state, fulfilling a key election promise.
The arrears, which amount to N17.63 billion, were left unpaid by previous administrations.
According to an official statement from the State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, the affected 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.
Other institutions such as the College of Health Sciences, Aba, the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, and the Secondary Education Management Board were also listed among those receiving payments.
Kanu disclosed that the payment is being disbursed in phases, with the first batch already allocated to the institutions.
The total arrears, N17,629,767,342.09, will be paid over a 12-month period through a structured amortization plan to ensure the government can still focus on other areas of governance despite limited financial resources.
The Commissioner praised the Alex Otti administration for its commitment to the welfare of civil servants, stating that the payments represent a significant step toward improving the livelihoods of workers across the state.
In a separate statement, Ukoha Njoku, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, confirmed that the first tranche of the arrears had been paid. He added that the governor has set aside N1.5 billion monthly to gradually clear the N18 billion salary arrears over the next 12 months.
Njoku highlighted the positive reaction from workers, noting that the payments have been met with widespread jubilation across the state.
He emphasized Governor Otti’s dedication to addressing the long-standing financial difficulties faced by civil servants and retirees.
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