Why Gov. Otti Is Yet To Pay Pensioners, Give Subvention To Parastatals – Ekeoma Reveals | READ DETAILS
Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has explained the delay in the payment of pensions to Abia pensioners.
Ekeoma in a publication he made on his social media handle on Thursday after a radio programme, explained that the state government couldn’t lay hands on any reliable data for the payment of pensioners, hence the commencement of an ongoing verification exercise.
The media aide, noted that the verification became necessary so as to sift out ghost pensioners from the real pensioners in the state.
He noted that governor Alex Otti has however ordered that the pensioners be paid even before the end of the verification exercise and not minding the losses that the state government might incur having considered the economic and health challenges the pensioners are faced with.
Ekeoma wrote;
The delay in the payment of pension stemmed from the absence of a reliable data for the payment of Abia Pensioners, hence the commencement of a verification exercise to enable government ascertain real pensioners, and differentiate them from ghost elements used to shortchange the state.
It’s in the interest of Genuine Pensioners that a sanitized system/template is put in place to enable for a hitch-free and sustainable process of payment of their pensions.
The Governor though authorised the Verification Exercise, but has reasoned that waiting for the conclusion of it before commencement of payment could be harmful to the pensioners as many of them are facing severe economic and health challenges that require some funds to take care of, hence his directive that, not minding the losses that might be incurred by government, the pensioners should be paid immediately while the verification exercise continues.
I further explained that in spite of the messed up system left behind, Governor Otti wouldn’t want to resort to blaming previous governments in the future, hence his decision to take decisive and corrective measures at this early stage of his administration which would see to the clean-up of the corrupt system and restoration of sanity.
I reassured Abians, especially workers and pensioners that Governor Otti would keep to his promise of clearing the salary and pension arrears in record time as promised during the campaigns, hence his determination to sanitize the system so as to set a corrupt-free template and ensure sustainability in the payment process.”
Addressing the insecurity challenges recorded in some parts of the state, Ekeoma added;
“On security challenges facing some parts of the state, especially the prolonged cases of kidnapping at Lokponta in Umunneochi LGA, I explained that the state is putting measures in place geared towards collaborating with the Federal Government to ensure that the criminals are flushed out.
I also submitted that the state government is collaborating with security agencies internally to adopt a more robust approach that would help nip the activities of criminals in the bud. The government is doing a lot beyond what is public knowledge.”
On the payment of subvention to Agencies and Parastatals, he added;
“On payment of Subvention to Agencies and Parastatals, I disclosed that the State government had asked each of the affected institutions to sign an undertaken to utilise whatever Subvention released to them specifically for payment of salaries.
While many signed this undertaken, a few others who had the intention of doing something else with their funds refused to come and take the forms.
However, those who have not adhered to this directive are going to be compelled to do so.
On the alleged crisis rocking the state House of Assembly, I explained that it’s normal for those in Legislative Houses to disagree in the course of their legislative duties, and maintained that the Governor’s intervention as being suggested by some persons could only happen on request by members of the Assembly.”
