Abia To Begin Payment Of Gratuities To Retirees

Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti, has disclosed that his administration would soon commence the gradual payment of verified gratuity and pension arrears owed to retirees since 2001.

Otti disclosed this 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.