Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti has approved the payment of 10 years’ pension arrears owed to surviving retirees of the Abia State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), bringing relief to workers who retired between 2000 and 2010.
The decision followed a humanitarian appeal by the affected retirees under the platform, Surviving Abia ADP Retirees 2000–2010.
Their petition was submitted through the Office of the Ombudsman/Public Complaints in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
Employment under the ADP was originally non-pensionable when the programme was created. It was not until 2011 that the Abia State Government approved pensionable status for ADP workers. However, staff who had served and retired between 2000 and 2010 were excluded from the policy.
The affected retirees approached the governor after reports that his administration had cleared years of pension arrears owed to pensioners in the state, while also restoring regular pension payments and ensuring the prompt payment of salaries to serving workers.
Otti’s approval is aimed at addressing the long-standing policy gap and providing relief to the retirees who have endured years of financial hardship.
Since assuming office, the governor has also moved to offset various salary arrears owed to workers across several state institutions.
Beneficiaries include staff of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic (formerly Abia Polytechnic), Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Abia State University, and Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA), among others.
The intervention is part of the administration’s broader effort to clear inherited liabilities and improve the welfare of both retired and serving workers in the state.
