Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has directed that the salaries of civil servants and pensioners in Abia State should be prioritized over the payment of political office holders.
Otti, expressed his concern over the prolonged delay in pension payments by previous administrations in the state, but assured that his administration has successfully cleared the backlog of unpaid pensions.
In his Easter message to the citizens of Abia, Governor Otti questioned why retired civil servants who dedicated their services to the state were deprived of their rightful pensions for an extended period of time.
The Governor emphasized that pension payments should not be a cause for celebration but acknowledged that the retirees’ happiness stemmed from finally receiving what they were owed after a significant delay.
Otti said, “It is indeed regrettable that these great men and women (pensioners), who toiled for the State at the peak of their productive years, were owed so long.
“At any rate, as I mentioned in my address to Abians shortly after my inauguration, never again shall our senior citizens be subjected to the agony of unpaid entitlements.
“I have since directed that full pensions must be paid on or before the 28th of every month, the very same day civil servants in the State get their salaries.
“As a rule, political office holders will only be paid after our obligations to our senior citizens and civil servants have been fulfilled, in full.”
The executives and members of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners in the State were thanked by him for their trust in his administration. He emphasized that the well-being of the people of Abia was of utmost importance to his administration.
He announced that Abia has now become one of the most secure states in the country and encouraged both Abia natives and visitors to explore and invest in the state without any apprehension.
He extended his congratulations to the people of Abia and Christians worldwide on the observance of this year’s Easter, assuring them that every part of the state would experience development under his vigilant leadership.
