Otti Affirms Resolve to Increase Workers’ Salaries

•Regrets inability to clear inherited pension arrears

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The governor of Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, has affirmed his earlier promise to effect upward review on salaries of employees of Abia government to reflect the “economic realities of the time.”

He stated this in his new year broadcast to the state yesterday, saying that work on the implementation of the pay raise had reached “the final stages.”

In the New year message he entitled, “A journey of great expectations,” Otti Urged the people of Abia to keep alive their hope for greater and better things to come from his government.

He said 2024 would be a year for consolidation on the “modest accomplishments” so far recorded by his administration over the past seven months.

Otti, noted that his administration has not been found wanting in working hard to fulfill his campaign promises in order to give the people a new lease of life in good governance.

He stated that his administration has already recorded “modest achievements” in several sectors of the economy, citing improved security, and road infrastructure. Other listed achievements include regular payment of salaries, reinvigoration of the health sector, effective urban management, support to the economically vulnerable.

However, he regretted that he was unable to fulfill his promise to clear the huge pension arrears inherited from the past administration.

He had put a timeline to offset the arrears before the end of 2023, but was unable to fulfil it.

“It is unfortunate to report that a few challenges have conspired to ensure that we are unable to keep this promise,” he said.

According to him, the initial estimated cost of paying the pension arrears doubled after a digital verification of pensioners was conducted to ascertain the number on payroll.

Otti, urged the pensioners to exercise patience, assuring them that every hurdle would be cleared to ensure that the arrears were paid off before the end of the first quarter of 2023.

To ensure that this renewed promise was kept, the governor stated that, “if required, we may go back to the House of Assembly for necessary approval to ensure that this payment is effected.”

The Abia governor said he would stick to, “our general approach as a government (which) is to  create the right environment to support the success of the businesses in ways that job creation.”

He, therefore announced plans to set up an international body of advisers known as Abia Global Economic Advisory Board (GEAB), composed of accomplished internationally recognised experts from across the globe.

Otti, said the envisaged team of international advisers, “will help in our journey to take our state to the world as a preferred investment destination.”