Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has dismissed allegations that his administration owes judiciary workers, emphasizing that his government is committed to timely payment of salaries and maintaining financial transparency.
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Addressing the matter during a media briefing, Governor Otti stated, “This is a government that does not owe. It is untrue that judiciary workers have not been paid.”
Otti explained that the issue began after the upward review of the national minimum wage. Efforts were made to engage with judiciary workers, similar to discussions held with the Nigerian Labour Congress. However, he noted that the judiciary workers did not cooperate initially, opting to conduct their own calculations independently.
“The matter was getting serious, so I intervened and engaged with the Honourable Chief Judge. We reviewed their calculations and discovered several errors, which were corrected,” the governor clarified.
Governor Otti detailed the efforts made to resolve the issue, highlighting that on December 24, 2024, his administration remitted N283,242,318.50 to the judiciary’s account for salary payments. He personally worked alongside the Accountant General, the Commissioner for Justice, and the Commissioner for Finance to ensure the payment process was completed before Christmas.
Additionally, Otti disclosed that he approved an extra N27 million, bringing the total to nearly N300 million, along with a provision for a thirteenth-month salary for judiciary workers.
Despite the funds being remitted, Governor Otti revealed that judiciary workers have yet to receive their salaries due to delays within the judiciary.
“Judiciary is an independent arm of government. Our job is to remit the money to their account, and their job is to pay their workers. Interestingly, as of this morning, they have refused to pay their workers,” Otti stated.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to fairness and accountability, urging judiciary officials to fulfill their responsibilities and disburse the funds to their staff promptly.
Governor Otti reaffirmed that his administration prioritizes the welfare of workers across all sectors and will continue to ensure salaries are paid as and when due. “Our actions are guided by the principles of transparency, equity, and good governance,” he concluded.
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