Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has recently enacted a law that terminates the payment of pensions to former governors and deputy governors of the state.
Governor Otti, in detailing the origins of the bill, expressed his appreciation for the Assembly’s rapid approval, noting that it was an Executive Bill designed to end pension payments to former state executives.
He mentioned that, from the start, he was of the opinion that the government would eventually stop the pension payments to previous Governors and Deputy Governors.
According to him, a better use of the money would be to address the pending pension payments to Abia’s retirees, which have been overdue since 2014.
While stressing that government was not about self interest, the Governor said he believes that repealing the pensions for Governors and Deputy Governors was the right step to take as it is all about good governance and stewardship.
Otti emphasized that government should transcend personal gain, asserting that it’s the pursuit of self-interest which undermines governmental integrity.
Moreover, the governor said the funds would be more effectively allocated to clearing the accumulated pension arrears of Abia’s retired workers dating back to 2014, among others.