The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has dispelled rumors suggesting the state government intends to carry out mass retrenchment of civil servants. During a media briefing held in Umuahia on Friday, Otti made it clear that his administration has no such plans to lay off workers.
Speaking on the state’s workforce, Governor Otti emphasized that his administration remains committed to improving the efficiency and productivity of Abia’s civil service. According to him, the regular and timely payment of salaries is already a key factor in boosting employee performance.
“There is no plan for mass retrenchment,” Alex Otti stated, addressing the rumors directly. “We have never considered it, and there’s nothing on the horizon that suggests we will. Instead, we are focused on ensuring our civil service becomes more efficient, particularly since workers now receive their salaries promptly by the end of each month.”
Governor Otti also suggested that the widespread fear of layoffs could stem from civil servants who are accustomed to poor work habits. He highlighted that his administration has a zero-tolerance policy towards absenteeism and truancy, which had been tolerated by past administrations.
“Those who have been skipping work may feel threatened, but the reality is, there is no mass retrenchment coming. What we are saying is that there is no excuse for truancy anymore. Salaries are paid on time, and we expect everyone to be present and productive,” Otti explained.
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Otti further addressed concerns regarding workers previously disengaged from the Abia civil service due to their status as non-indigenes. He expressed satisfaction that many of those affected have been reinstated under his administration.
“We are committed to building a non-discriminatory government. It doesn’t matter where someone is from, as long as they contribute to the development of Abia State, they will be treated equally. We have already re-engaged a number of non-indigenous workers, and we are reviewing the cases of the remaining few,” he noted.
Governor Otti underscored the importance of fairness in governance, stating, “In our administration, if you live in Abia, pay taxes here, and are involved in the state’s affairs, you are one of us. We don’t judge people based on where they come from. As a matter of policy, we treat all residents equally, whether they are from Abia or other parts of the country.”
He concluded by confirming that his government is carefully examining the remaining cases of disengaged workers and expressed optimism that more would be reintegrated soon.
