Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
The ongoing tension between Abia State pensioners and Governor Alex Otti’s administration has reached a boiling point, with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Abia State branch, openly challenging claims that the government has cleared pension arrears and gratuities. Despite promises made by the Governor to settle all outstanding payments by December 2023, the union asserts that these pledges remain largely unfulfilled.
Truth Live News gathered that at a recent media briefing in Umuahia, NUP Chairman Elder Chukwuemeka Irondi revealed that, contrary to expectations, only 10 months of pension arrears incurred during Otti’s administration have been addressed. Meanwhile, the staggering 45 months of outstanding payments from previous administrations remain unpaid. This discrepancy has caused unrest among the retirees, who feel sidelined in favor of other government priorities.
Elder Irondi shared that multiple attempts to secure a direct audience with the Governor have been unsuccessful, fueling concerns that the administration may be deliberately avoiding the issue. “Governor Alex Otti promised to clear all outstanding pension arrears owed to retirees by December 2023,” Irondi said. “However, a verification exercise later revealed that the amount required far exceeded initial estimates, jumping from N10 billion to N30 billion.” The Governor’s proposal to implement a new payment template, which offers percentages based on the amount owed, has been met with resistance, as the union continues to push for a higher payout.
The controversy deepened with allegations that the state government coerced the union into signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that inaccurately claimed pensioners had waived their rights to arrears and gratuities. The NUP is now calling for a review of this agreement, demanding a fairer resolution under the dispute resolution provisions outlined in the MOA.
In a series of unproductive meetings between NUP representatives and government officials, the pensioners’ union has sought the intervention of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its national body. Their aim is to ensure that retirees receive their full entitlements, which are constitutionally mandated to include incremental benefits.
As the year draws to a close, the spotlight remains on Governor Otti’s administration to honor campaign promises that resonated with many during the election period. The union’s stance is clear: if the Governor cannot deliver on his commitments, he should be transparent about it rather than raising false hopes. The lingering question for many is whether the “best performing” Governor can live up to his own declarations, or if the title is merely a product of polished political rhetoric.