Otti also ordered the payment of June pensions to retirees, some of whom were owed more than 50 months of pension payments by the previous administration.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, the payments are in fulfillment of his campaign promise not to owe pensioners and those in service, and to settle all outstanding verified salary arrears.
Otti added that he authorized the payments to alleviate the plight of state employees and retirees who had accumulated wage arrears.
According to the statement, Governor Otti issued the directive following a meeting of the Executive Council, which was attended by the Deputy Governor, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu, 16 newly sworn-in Commissioners, the Accountant General, and other senior State officials.
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Despite the ongoing verification of beneficiaries and employees on the government payroll, the Governor instructed the Accountant General to ensure that both the April 2023 salary arrears and the June pension are paid by the end of the week.
"I am aware that the government will lose money by making these disbursements while worker and pensioner verifications are still ongoing. We have uncovered a large number of spirit names in our payroll, but I also know that there are a large number of legitimate names there.
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"By making these payments, especially to pensioners, we are helping to alleviate the suffering of genuine pensioners, who are mostly elderly and ill and have endured unimaginable hardship for so long."
Esther Chikwendu 18 hrs
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