Otti Defends Abolition of Ex-Governors’ Pension, Urges MDAs to Boost Abia IGR

Governor Alex Otti has defended the abolition of pension for former Governors and their Deputies.

During a follow-up retreat for Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Otti emphasized that this decision was not to witch-hunt his predecessors but rather to ensure a more equitable deployment of public funds for the state’s development.

Otti, who spoke at the retreat aimed at strategizing ways to improve the IGR of the state, maintained that public funds should not be shared among a few individuals but used for the good of the masses.

He stated that the policy was not targeted at anyone but was aimed at good governance and reduction in the cost of governance.

The Governor also stressed the need for sacrifices from those in power and called for an end to “sharing money” and “blood tonic politics.”

He emphasized that the privilege of serving the state should be considered a responsibility to make sacrifices for its betterment.

Otti challenged the MDAs to work hard to generate revenue internally to reduce the N400 billion loan needed to finance the 2024 budget.

He argued that if they put on their thinking caps and come up with results, the state could generate some of the funds it intended to borrow.

The Governor predicted an improvement in Abia IGR in the month ahead, citing the achievements of his administration, which he said had boosted public confidence in the government.

He also stated that it was a misnomer for states to depend on federal allocation every month and insisted that they must explore ways to be financially sufficient.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Akpara, emphasized the need to change the narrative and generate enormous IGR.

He assured the public that the government would not tax people unduly but would base all taxes on things the government promised the people.

He called for all hands to be on deck to generate enough revenue for the state.