NEWS
Abia Gratuity Payments: Otti Administration Clears 2001–2010 Arrears, Prepares Next Batch for 2011–2025
The Abia State Government has disclosed that it has completed payments of outstanding gratuities owed to retired workers covering the period from 2001 to 2010, with preparations already underway for the commencement of the next batch covering beneficiaries from 2011 to 2025.
The disclosure was made by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, on Monday, September 14, 2026, at Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR.
The Commissioner explained that the payment of the long-standing gratuity liabilities was being handled systematically in batches, taking into consideration the significant financial resources required to settle the obligations accumulated over several years.
According to him, the ongoing exercise reflects the commitment of the Otti administration to addressing inherited liabilities while ensuring that the State’s finances remain sufficiently stable to support other critical responsibilities and development programmes.
Prince Kanu also dismissed suggestions that the State Government only commenced the payment of outstanding gratuities as a result of pressure from opposition politicians, describing such claims as unfounded.
He stressed that the administration had adopted a deliberate and structured approach to resolving the backlog rather than making promises that could not be financially sustained.
“The payments will be in batches. The funds involved are huge for one balloon payment. And as Governor Alex Otti has proven these past three years-plus, he is one Governor that promises less and delivers more.
“The conclusion of payment of outstanding gratuities may happen earlier than we ever imagined. Let us therefore wait and see how the next batch of payments will unfold,“ Prince Kanu stated.
The Commissioner further clarified reports suggesting that gratuity payments would continue until 2031, describing such interpretations as misleading.
He explained that the State Government’s Gratuity Committee had recommended that provisions for gratuity payments be incorporated into the 2026–2031 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, as well as subsequent annual budgets.
According to him, the recommendation was not an indication that the payment of gratuities would terminate in 2031. Rather, the objective is to institutionalise regular budgetary provisions for gratuity obligations and prevent the accumulation of another backlog in the future.
Prince Kanu noted that the inclusion of gratuity provisions in the State’s medium-term financial planning would enable the government to address its obligations in a more predictable and sustainable manner, instead of allowing unpaid entitlements to accumulate over prolonged periods.
“That does not translate to payments being terminated in 2031. As the internal processes and verification of beneficiaries of these payments continue, due payments would still be made in batches. That is the information we made available to the public before the commencement of the first batch of payments. And this administration will not deviate from that,“ Prince Kanu maintained.
The Commissioner reiterated that beneficiary verification and other internal processes remain an important part of the exercise, particularly given the volume and age of the outstanding liabilities.
He assured retired workers and other eligible beneficiaries that the payment process would continue in line with the established framework, while the government works to ensure that legitimate obligations are progressively settled.
The latest disclosure therefore places the gratuity payment exercise within the broader financial management strategy of the Otti administration, with the government seeking not only to clear inherited arrears but also to establish a system that makes the recurrence of such liabilities l
ess likely in the future.