Otti Promises To Continue To Prioritise Welfare Of Workers in Abia

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, says that his administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of workers and the entire people of Abia State.

Governor Otti stated this on Wednesday, October 15th, in his office, when he received an audience with a delegation of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by the National President, Comrade Joe Ajero.

Governor Otti, while noting that his administration is a labour-friendly one, stated that the government is about the welfare of the people. He added that his government has employed 5,394 new teachers and is currently employing 771 health professionals.

“And for us, our relationship with Labour has been very cordial, and we all work for the same purpose.

“Because at the end of the day, Government is about the welfare of the people. And who are the people? The people who work.

“You may also have heard that not too long ago, precisely by the 22nd of last month, 5,394 new teachers were recruited and deployed to our schools.

“Interestingly, the minimum wage for teachers is higher than the ordinary minimum wage. As we speak, we are hiring about 771 medical professionals to deploy to our hospitals,” Gov. Otti stated.

He disclosed that his administration is presently defraying 16 years of death benefit to the next of kin of deceased Abia workers, adding that he has already paid arrears of pensions owed by the past administration.

On the request for a befitting secretariat for Abia NLC, Governor Otti approved a piece of land for them and assured the delegation of assisting in building the secretariat, as well as assured them of providing an operational vehicle for the NLC in the State.

Governor Otti further directed the Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Relations, Comrade Godson Aṅucha and the NLC State Chairman, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, to sit and look into why the statutory 10% check-off dues do not get to the national body as reported by Comrade Ajero.

Earlier, the National President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajero, while acknowledging the transformational efforts of Governor Alex Otti, lauded the renovation of ABSU hostels and other friendly dispositions of Governor Otti to Abians.

“Definitely, things have changed in Abia, even a blind man can see it. Anybody who enters Abia would notice the transformations going on here,” Ajero noted.

Comrade Ajero, who appealed to the Governor for the donation of land for the building of a befitting secretariat for Abia NLC, and provision of an operational vehicle for the NLC in the State, also called for direct remittance of statutory 10% monthly check-off dues to the National body by the State NLC.

In his remarks, the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, while commending various labour-friendly dispositions of Governor Alex Otti towards Abia workers, including regular payment of monthly salaries, noted that the present administration has ended the era of owing Abia workers as well as arrested the issue of dilapidated road infrastructure, hospitals, among others.

The SSG, Professor Kenneth Kalu, the HOS, Mr Benson Ojeikere, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Mr Kingsley Nwokocha, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Relations, Comrade Godson Aṅucha, among other senior government officials, were present during the visit.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State