In a decisive move to address long-standing grievances, Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved the payment of pension arrears owed to surviving retirees of the Abia State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) from 2000 to 2010.
The approval, described by his Chief Press Secretary Ukoha Njoku-Ukoha as a “swift and compassionate response,” follows a humanitarian appeal made by the retirees through the Office of the Ombudsman and the Attorney General’s office.
“At the time the ADP was established, employment was not pensionable. It was only in 2011 that ADP jobs became pensionable, leaving workers who retired between 2000 and 2010 excluded,” Njoku-Ukoha explained.
The governor’s action not only clears a decade-long backlog but also signals his administration’s commitment to ensuring the welfare of both retirees and active workers.
Over the past few years, the Otti government has settled arrears for numerous institutions, including Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, and Abia State College of Education Technical Arochukwu, among others.
“This is a practical demonstration of Governor Otti’s belief that governance must prioritize the welfare of the people,” Njoku-Ukoha added, highlighting the administration’s focus on rectifying past injustices and improving the lives of senior citizens in Abia State.
