Abia state Governor, Alex Otti has concluded plans to increase the salaries of the civil servants in the state workforce.
He made this known on Friday night during a media parley with journalists in Umuahia, stating that he is engaging with stakeholders to improve the minimum wage of the state workers.
Otti promised that the package would be made public ”soonest”. He explained that the reason for the planned increase is in line with the realities at hand, especially the economy.
The governor also promised to clear the backlog of salaries and gratuities owed the recently retired permanent secretaries and directors while reassuring of his commitment to defray pension arrears in the state.
Otti said; “We do understand that things are a bit more difficult for the people. We are engaging with stakeholders to see how we can improve on the pay of civil servants in line with the present economic realities, where exchange rates have converged upwards and fuel subsidy has been removed and inflation is heading to 30%.
“We are already working to see how we can improve on not just the minimum wage but also across the line and announcement to that effect will be made in due course”.
Addressing reports that he sacked permanent secretaries in the state, the governor clarified that the officials were first placed on suspension and that their removal was in line with what was obtained at the federal level and that due process was followed.
On the issue of outrageous expenses on food by government house, Otti said; “There is nothing like that. It is a hatchet man’s job. The truth of the matter is that it is about falsehood. This is a government that is very prudent in the way it handles funds.”
