Governor Alex Otti of Abia State announced on Friday that the State Government had successfully cleared all pension arrears owed to retirees in the state. Speaking during the monthly media briefing in Umuahia, Otti revealed that the pensions and arrears of approximately 12,500 retirees had been settled as of last Thursday, with over N9 billion out of the N10 billion allocated for the exercise already expended.
Otti recounted that his administration had pledged to settle all pension arrears by the end of the preceding year upon assuming office on May 29, 2023. However, due to challenges with a rigorous verification process that concluded only recently, the goal was not achieved until now.
Moving forward, Otti assured pensioners that they would receive their entitlements in full by the 28th of every month. He pledged to eliminate any backlog of pensions and arrears, emphasizing the commitment to ensuring prompt and complete payments.
The governor also emphasized the government's dedication to improving healthcare delivery in the state. In collaboration with a group, over 80 medical doctors had been engaged to provide free medical services. These medical professionals, already arriving in the state, will conduct surgeries and other treatments in the coming days.
Otti encouraged residents to take advantage of the free medical services and undergo health check-ups. Additionally, he reaffirmed the government's plan to retrofit the 948 primary healthcare centers across the state, further enhancing access to quality healthcare for residents.
