Abia State Government has commenced payment of outstanding gratuities owed verified state and local government retirees, with the total liability put at N61.8 billion.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu, who spoke alongside the Commissioner for Finance, Uwoma Ukandu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Nkoma; and Accountant-General of the State, Njum Onyemena, said the payment followed the conclusion of a verification exercise carried out by a government committee.
According to him, the committee reviewed records from the State and Local Government Pension Boards and established outstanding gratuity liabilities covering retirees between 2001 and 2025.
He said the review revealed that successive administrations had made minimal payments towards the arrears, particularly those owed to workers who retired between 2011 and May 2023.
Kanu disclosed that N7.2 billion was owed for the 2001–2010 period, while liabilities accumulated between 2011 and May 2023 stood at N3.6 billion.
He added that gratuity obligations incurred from May 30, 2023, to date amounted to N10.9 billion, while the broader reconciliation put the total liability at N61.8 billion.
Payment to run until 2031
The commissioner said the state had adopted a phased payment arrangement because of the size of the inherited liability.
He said gratuity provisions for 2026 to 2031 would be incorporated into the state’s Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and annual budgets.
According to him, the approach would enable the government to settle the arrears progressively without compromising other financial obligations.
Kanu said the oldest arrears would receive priority, alongside beneficiaries considered to have the greatest social needs.
He added that the government was establishing a dedicated gratuity payment platform linked to the Treasury Single Account to ensure that verified beneficiaries received their payments directly.
The platform, he explained, would incorporate biometric verification to prevent duplication, fraud and wrongful payments.
He said the government was also cleaning up the retirees’ database, noting that many inherited records were poorly maintained and largely kept in analogue form.’24-year backlog cannot be cleared overnight’
Kanu acknowledged that the government could not eliminate 24 years of accumulated liabilities within three years.
He, however, assured retirees and serving workers that the Otti administration remained committed to progressively addressing the inherited obligations while pursuing its development agenda.
The government has also established a contact centre to handle complaints relating to gratuity payments.
Kanu gave the helpline as 0800 000 0232, available from 8am to 4pm on working days, while complaints could also be sent to contactcenter@abiastate.gov.ng.
ABSU-ASUU strike resolved
The commissioner also announced the resolution of issues that led to the recent industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abia State University chapter.
He said Governor Otti had approved the union’s demands as far back as April 2026, stressing that the delay in implementation was caused by administrative processes.
According to him, the governor later directed the Secretary to the state government-led committee to resolve the outstanding issues within 48 hours.
Kanu said outstanding check-off dues had been paid, while the new salary structure, Consolidated Academic Teaching Allowance and other related payments had been processed for inclusion in the August 2026 salary.
The new salary structure for other categories of ABSU workers, he added, had also been processed for payment.
Government denies involvement in lecturer’s suspension
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the state government had no role in the suspension of an ABSU lecturer who took to social media to raise issues surrounding the strike.
Ekeoma described the matter as an internal university affair, stressing that ABSU is autonomous and has established procedures for investigating and disciplining staff.
He urged the public not to politicise the matter but allow the university’s processes to run their course.
Obinwa General Hospital opens
Kanu also announced that Governor Otti would on Tuesday commission the newly completed Obinwa General Hospital at Mgboko.
He described the facility as a modern hospital equipped with digital health technology, saying it would expand access to healthcare services in the state.
The commissioner further disclosed that enrolment in the state’s health insurance scheme had risen to 269,900 beneficiaries.
He announced the inauguration of the Abia State Diaspora Healthcare Government Fund, designed to support health insurance enrolment for indigent citizens and vulnerable people in the informal sector.
Kanu said strategic healthcare oversight teams had also been inaugurated in four local government areas.
He added that recruitment of medical officers, dental officers and consultants was ongoing, with the recruitment portal still open.
According to him, no outbreak of diseases of public health importance, including Ebola, COVID-19, diphtheria and cholera, had been recorded in the state during the period under review.
Abia recruits 4,074 teachers
The state government also announced the completion of another round of teacher recruitment, with 4,074 successful candidates receiving appointment notifications.
Kanu said the recruitment was conducted based on merit and transparency, adding that the new teachers would commence onboarding and orientation the following week.
He said the recruitment would help strengthen the state’s teaching workforce and address shortages in specific subject areas.
FG studies Abia Smart School model
Kanu disclosed that a federal government ministerial committee had visited Abia to study the state’s Smart School project.
He described the visit as recognition of the programme’s progress and an indication that the state’s education innovation was attracting wider attention.
Abia plans power plant for ring-fenced area
The government also announced plans to improve electricity supply in the Aba ring-fenced area through the licensing of a power generation plant within the zone.
Kanu said electricity generated would be evacuated to serve the ring-fenced area covering eight local government areas in Abia Central and Abia North.
He added that the state was considering interconnected mini-grids for underserved communities, particularly areas where vandalism had disrupted electricity infrastructure.
On the proposed takeover of electricity distribution operations, Ekeoma clarified that the process had not yet been completed.
He said the existing electricity distribution company remained in charge until the transaction was concluded.
According to him, the state had continued to intervene by supporting the rehabilitation of substations, transformers and other electricity infrastructure.
Ekeoma said the state’s long-term objective was to gain greater control of power distribution and develop alternative generation and distribution systems capable of providing more reliable electricity.
He acknowledged that electricity challenges were a national problem but said Abia was among states making significant efforts to address the situation.
He expressed concern about high electricity charges, particularly for consumers under estimated billing, but said the issue would be addressed once the state fully assumes control of electricity distribution.
The Commissioner for Finance, meanwhile, said verified gratuity beneficiaries were being paid in full.
He described the exercise as part of efforts to clean up inherited liabilities and restore confidence among retirees and public servants.
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