Abia state Governor , Dr. Alex Otti says he has no plan to retrench workers in the state public service.
Governor Otti stated this while responding to questions at the September edition of Governor Otti Speaks to Abians, a monthly media engagement of the Governor and the people held in Government House, Umuahia.
According to the Governor, he has not thought about the allegations on the looming retrenchment.
“There is no any massive retrenchment in the pipe line. We will continue to ensure that the civil service is enhanced and productivity increased”
He re-emphasised his commitment to defraying arrears of salaries owed some institutions in the state .
“The debts were inherited and I will pay them. In a view days , those payments wil happen.” Gov. Otti assured.
“If I Said I will Clear the Arrears of Salaries owed to Staff of ABSUTH, Abia POLY, of course I will clear them but nobody should put a gun on my head, because I was not the one that was oweing them “ —Governor Alex Otti
“I am not oweing anybody and I have not owed anybody since I took over office in 2023, I think it’s important to state that clearly, the debts were inherited and because it was inherited ,I have to pay them as resources are available because we have to do other things”
“Some of the salary arrears we are dealing were actually not disclosed until recently, and anytime I spoke in the past, my predecessor will take me on and say I am lieying and the people that were being owed were quite”
“Speaking quite frankly, arrears of salaries should have been paid by those who were oweing them, someone owed salaries and you are holding someone else responsible, is that fair?, so when you come to speak because someone has offered to clear the mess of another person, I think you should be more measured in the way.
“Yes we have been here for about 15 months and we are taking them one after the other “he said
Governor Alex Otti explained that the Labour Party stakeholders’ meeting held in Umuahia recently was a bid to restore peace in the party.
He added that anyone that followed what happened would notice that people are happy over the outcome of the meeting.
“I believe that what we did was in the interest of the party. We have a vested interest in ensuring that the party will continue to operate as a political party in Nigeria.” Gov. Otti. stated.
He also reacted to his decision not to speak on the recent statement by the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ben Kalu on the issue of he (Gov. Otti) going to be the last LP Governor in Abia.
“I chose to not to respond to it because it’s foolhardy to talk about what will happen tomorrow. Power belongs to God and He gives it to who He wills.”
The State chief executive revealed that another boost was given to healthcare in Amachara general hospital by opening eye clinic where 600 patients had their eyes checked on the official opening day.
He also disclosed that government has started the phase 2 of upgrading ABSUTH for optimal service delivery while 200 primary healthcare centres in the state have been earmarked for retrofitting, a project he said would take place within 100 days.
“The whole idea is to ensure that wherever you live or come from, you will have a primary healthcare centre that will cater for your health.”
On education, the Governor reported that government has commenced training of 2000 master trainers of teachers who would in turn train others .
He added that another group is 
equally saddled with the responsibility of looking at the curricula for pupils in the state.
He also informed the people that he is not resting on his oars in the area of environmental sanitation and revealed that his government is planning to do a project of turning waste into wealth and solicited support of all and sundry.
