Otti Moves to Clear N60bn Gratuity Backlog, Announces New ABSU VC

(Alex Otti. Photo by TheCable)

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says his government will pay benefits owed to families of dead pensioners as the state starts settling more than 60 billion naira in outstanding gratuity payments.

Otti made the promise on Thursday during his monthly media session with residents of the state.

He said his administration has already finished paying gratuities to retired workers who left their jobs between 2001 and 2010.

The next focus will be on retirees from 2011 to now, depending on available money.

The governor explained that the state had discovered gratuities worth over 60 billion naira were owed.

His administration is working to clear these payments gradually.

He said the government is also setting up systems to stop pension problems from happening again.

Abia State recently introduced a contributory pension scheme that covers more than 36,000 workers.

Under this system, the worker and employer set aside money each month to take care of pensions and gratuities.

This means pension issues should become easier to manage in the future.

Otti also announced that a new substantive Vice Chancellor will start work at Abia State University on November 1, 2026.

The current acting chief’s term ends in October.

The recruitment process for the new leader has already started and ads have been published.

The governor said his administration is upgrading infrastructure across all tertiary institutions in the state.

On basic education, the government has hired 4,074 additional teachers to fill gaps in public schools, adding to the 5,394 teachers hired earlier.

The recruitment has been done strategically, focusing on areas and subject areas where teachers are needed most.

The government is also reconstituting the Secondary Education Management Board to oversee secondary schools across Abia.

A new Citizens’ Engagement Centre will soon open to allow residents to speak directly to government, ask questions and contribute ideas on policies.

A helpline and email address have been set up for this purpose.

On healthcare, Otti said Abia was recently ranked first in healthcare affordability and third in healthcare quality in Nigeria’s 2026 performance rankings.

The state will continue reforms to improve healthcare delivery and support people-focused policies.