Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
There is excitement among Abia workers as they confirm the receipt of their June salary.
Some workers who pleaded not to be mentioned told Ikengaonline that they had received their June salary as promised by Gov Otti.
Ikengaonline had reported that Otti had during his inaugural speech, promised to pay workers on or before the 28th of every month.
Determined to match his words with action, Otti in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, on Tuesday, directed the Accountant General of the state, to immediately commence payment of June salary to workers.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Nigeria Civil Service Union, Abia State chapter, Comrade M. I Ekwenye, confirmed in a telephone interview that workers in the state had started receiving their salary alert.
He applauded the Governor for keeping to his words, expressing hope that the tempo will be sustained.
“Yes some of the workers have started getting alerts. We are happy our Governor has lived up to his promise of paying salaries on or before the 28th day of the month.
“Our prayer is that God will keep him, and that he will continue with this until every arrear is cleared,” he said.
A civil servant with the Ministry of Education also confirmed to our Correspondent that he had received alert of his June salary.
He, however, said that some of his colleagues whose bank had network problems were yet to receive any alert due to network challenge.
He, however, expressed optimism that everybody would soon get payment alert when the banks resume normal operations after the Salah holiday.
Workers in Abia State were owed salary arrears running into several months by the immediate-past Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
For instance, Doctors in Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba ABSUTH, were owed for 24 months while their counterparts in Health Management Board, HMB, were owed for 13 months.
Primary and Secondary School teachers were also owed for many months while staff of Abia Polytechnic and their counterparts at Abia College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu were owed for over 30 months.
Pensioners were also owed for 40 months by the Ikpeazu administration but Otti has promised to wipe the arrears before the end of December, 2023.
