The governor of Abia state, Dr Alex Otti, has adduced reasons why he is engaging stakeholders in order to improve on the minimum wage of Abia Workers while citing reason of present economic realities.
He added that the reason for adjusting the pay of Abia workers was because of the nation’s economic realities where exchange rates had skyrocketed thereby making mockery of the current minimum wage.
The governor disclosed this Friday night during the 3rd edition of his monthly media chat held in Government House, Umuahia.
Otti further noted that they understood that things were a bit more difficult for the people, therefore,they were engaging with stakeholders to see how to 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%.
Governor Otti who used the opportunity to clarify insinuations in some quarters that the recently retired Permanent Secretaries and Directors were retired without passing through due process.
He said due process was followed in line with federal government procedures on retirement.
He, however, promised they would receive arrears of salaries and their gratuities due to them.
He also reassured of his commitment to defray pension arrears as earlier promised.
The Abia governor explained that he was not living in the Government House because his predecessor commissioned an uncompleted building while the old Government House was left in a dilapidated state.
“My predecessor commissioned an uncompleted building. That’s a deceit of the highest order. He didn’t need to commission it. The question to ask is, construction started with the administration of T.A Orji, why didn’t they complete it and move into it? But he waited until the twilight of his administration.”
