Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has assured workers disengaged from the state’s public service by previous administrations that they will receive their full outstanding entitlements after verification.
Governor Otti gave the assurance on Wednesday while addressing members of Ndi Imo in Abia during a civic reception held in his honour at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba.
The governor said his administration had considered appeals for the reinstatement of workers disengaged between 2011 and 2012, but explained that many of those affected had become too old to return to active service.
He therefore directed that their outstanding entitlements be computed and paid after the necessary verification.
“I have also listened to a plea about recalling those who were disengaged a long time ago, about 2011-2012. I had given that directive when Anambra people received me; it was not just for Anambra people, it was for everyone.
“The reality is that some of those people who were disengaged 15, 16, 17 years ago have become so old that they can no longer go back to their work. So what we are saying is that we will calculate their entire entitlements and pay them.
“So if you have not received your entitlement, maybe you need to show up for verification and you will be paid”, Governor Otti assured.
The governor while thanking the leadership of Ndi Imo in Abia for organising the civic reception, described it as an honour and a demonstration of support and encouragement for his administration.
He reaffirmed his administration’s policy of equal opportunity for all residents, stressing that employment into the State workforce is based on competence rather than state of origin.
“All of you know that in Abia State there is nothing like state of origin. When we are employing both for the healthcare and for the teaching etc, nobody wants to know from where you come from.
“What we are interested in is your capacity, what you have inside your head. We don’t care where you come from”, he said.
Governor Otti said the relationship between Abia and Imo transcends political boundaries, insisting that residents of Imo extraction living in the state enjoy the same rights and privileges as Abia indigenes.
According to him, many families of Imo origin have lived in Abia for generations, adding that any attempt to treat them as outsiders is unjustifiable.
“But for us also, we believe that the distinction between Abia and Imo is of no consequence. We are all one and the same people.
“So when you live in Abia we consider you an Abian and every benefit that is accruable to Abia people is also accruable to you.”
“There are people whose grandparents lived here. Their grandparents gave birth to their parents. Their parents gave birth to them. And you want to explain to me that they are not from Abia; it’s a lie”, he said.
The governor said his administration would continue to promote unity and inclusiveness across ethnic divides adding that the achievements recorded by his government in the last three years represented only the foundation for greater accomplishments.
He further assured Imo indigenes resident in Abia of their safety and continued inclusion in the affairs of the state.
Chief Perry Opara
Also speaking, the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, commended Governor Otti’s performance in office, pointing out that the large turnout at the reception reflects the confidence of the people in his administration.
“I can see that the people are happy with you. I can also see that you are doing very well. And that’s why they have decided to receive you today”, he said.
Sen Uzodinma, represented by his special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Perry Opara, who identified himself as an indigene of Mbaise and a relation of the Abia First Lady, also commended Mrs Priscilla Otti for her support to the governor.
He urged the governor to sustain his people-oriented policies and assured him of the continued support and peaceful disposition of Imo indigenes resident in Abia.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze E.C. Okeke, represented by Eze Fred Nwachukwu, described Governor Otti as one of Nigeria’s most outstanding-performing governors.
He said the Otti led administration has transformed Abia into an attractive destination for investors and visitors, adding that the state’s rapid development could only be compared with that of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In separate goodwill messages, the National President of the South-East Town Unions, Chief Emeka Dinwe, and the Abia South Zonal Women Leader of the Labour Party, Lady Lilian Ezenobi, lauded Governor Otti’s developmental strides, describing the Governor as a worthy in-law and urged him to sustain the pace of development, particularly his road infrastructure programme.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the grand civic reception and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ndi Imo in Abia, Chief MacDonald Oguoke, represented by the Board Secretary, Chief James Odocha, said Governor Otti had, within three years, revived Abia economy which was previously on the brink of collapse.
He highlighted the present administration’s achievements in education, healthcare, electricity supply, public transportation, urban planning and the introduction of people-centred policies that have improved the quality of lives and broken long-standing barriers to development.
Also, the State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Founder of the Local Boys Movement, Comrade Chukwuma Azodo, described Governor Otti as the best leader Abia has produced since the state’s creation, noting that the event underscores the commitment of Imo indigenes in Abia as a progressive partner in the Governor’s re-election bid.
Azodo further noted that landmark infrastructure projects, including the Onuimo–Abia Tower Road and the Owerrinta–Umuikaa Road, had significantly improved connectivity and made travel safer and more seamless for commuters and lauded the Governor’s wife, Mrs Priscilla Otti, for her support and contributions to the administration’s success, assuring the Governor of the unwavering support of thousands of Imo indigenes resident in Abia.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Chibuike Achigbu, commended Governor Otti for his transformational leadership, saying the Governor had rewritten Abia’s development narrative through purposeful governance.
He noted that perennial flooding, which previously claimed lives and displaced residents in several parts of Aba, had become a thing of the past owing to the administration’s intervention and pointed out that the civic reception was organised by Imo indigenes resident in Abia as a demonstration of their appreciation, confidence and support for Governor Otti.
