Abia state governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has firmly denied the allegations claiming that he made a vow not to pay the salaries of workers in the state for the month of April 2023.The accusation was made by Promise Uzoma Okoro, a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who claimed that Otti had pledged not to fulfill the unpaid April salaries left by the previous Governor Okezie Ikpeazu administration.

In response to these claims, Otti’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, clarified that the administration is currently devising the appropriate strategy to address the salary arrears owed to the state workers. Otti’s administration is committed to finding a solution and ensuring that the workers receive the remuneration they are entitled to. 

He said; “The report is fake. Governor Otti never made such a statement. Governor Otti stated that he will pay the May salaries first before tackling the unpaid salaries left by the past administration.

“I read with dismay, the fake report being widely circulated by one Promise Uzoma Okoro wherein he alleged that the Governor of Abia state, Dr. Alex Otti, has vowed never to pay the April salary arrears left behind by the former government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

“Mr. Okoro could not state where and when the governor made the statement. He probably anchored his assumption on the plans of the Governor to pay May’s salary first, which of course is his immediate priority before tackling the humongous accumulated salary arrears left behind, which include the April salary Okoro mentioned.

“Governor Otti understands the place and importance of payment of salary as an enabler of economic growth and development and is therefore marshaling out the right strategy geared towards clearing the Abia salary mess.

“Curiously, the poster who had earlier claimed that Governor Ikpeazu wasn’t owing April’s salary is now talking about nonpayment of the same April salary after Ikpeazu had left office.

“The public should see the report as one of those fabrications dished out to draw media traffic and deceive unsuspecting members of the public and should be disregarded.”