Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has provided clarity on why the state is yet to begin implementing the new N70,000 minimum wage for civil servants. Speaking at the Government House in Umuahia, Otti explained that the delay stems from ongoing discussions between the state’s labor committee and organized labor representatives.
Otti revealed that the state’s labor representatives are awaiting directives from the national labor body before resuming talks with the committee. He emphasized, “I fully support the new minimum wage, and its implementation will happen soon. The issue is that our committee has been ready, but labor in Abia is waiting for instructions from the center before continuing discussions.”
Regarding outstanding salary arrears owed by previous administrations, the governor assured workers that payments would begin in August as funds become available. However, Otti pointed out that the responsibility for these arrears lies with past administrations. “The arrears should have been cleared by those who incurred them,” Otti said, adding that he is committed to addressing the situation despite not being the one responsible for the debts.
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Otti further explained that some of these salary arrears, which span up to 33 and 36 months, were only recently disclosed. “I cleared salary arrears from January to March for civil servants as soon as I took office. We are also working with institutions like ABSUTH, the College of Education Technical in Arochukwu, and Abia Poly, where workers are owed up to 36 months,” he noted.
He reiterated that his administration is taking a step-by-step approach to settle the inherited debts, as resources become available. “Government is a continuum, and we are committed to cleaning up the mess we inherited. I have instructed that salary arrears should start being paid from August, and once that begins, payments for September and subsequent months will follow,” Otti concluded.
