The Abia State Government has alleged that the administrations of former governors Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu paid less than 0.01 per cent of gratuities owed to workers who retired from the state and local government systems between 2011 and May 2023.

The government said the figure was contained in a report by a committee established to review outstanding gratuity liabilities across the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday in Umuahia while briefing journalists on the outcome of the week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu said the current administration had commenced payment of outstanding gratuities to retirees, beginning with those who retired between 2001 and 2010.

According to him, the review committee established that Abia’s total outstanding gratuity liability stood at N61.8 billion.

He explained that N7.2 billion of the liability accumulated between 2001 and 2010, while N43.6 billion was incurred between 2011 and May 2023. Another N10.9 billion accumulated from May 2023 to August 2026.

“The review also showed that payments made by successive administrations, particularly the administrations of former Governors Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu, covered less than 0.01 per cent of the gratuity owed to retirees who exited the service between 2011 and May 2023,” Kanu said.

Meanwhile, the state government has denied allegations that Governor Otti influenced the suspension of Professor of Economics, Nnamdi Nwaeze, by the Abia State University, Uturu.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, made the clarification on Monday at the Government House, Umuahia, while responding to questions from journalists concerning the controversy surrounding the lecturer’s suspension.

Ekeoma maintained that the state government had no role in the decision, describing the matter as an internal issue of the university.

“The Governor will not get involved. The suspension of the lecturer has nothing to do with the state government,” Ekeoma stated.