Abia Spends Over ₦500m on Vulnerable Residents, Kidney Patients, Others – Otti

By Ezechukwu Adimoha

The Abia State Government says it has spent more than ₦500 million in August to support vulnerable residents, including people undergoing expensive kidney and other organ transplants, as well as those battling terminal illnesses.

Governor Alex Otti disclosed this during the August edition of his monthly media parley, tagged “Governor Otti Speaks”, saying the intervention reflects his administration’s commitment to placing the people at the centre of governance, particularly workers, the elderly and other vulnerable residents.

Governor Otti also disclosed that the government had provided financial assistance to Abia indigenes who returned from South Africa, noting that some of the returnees had endured difficult and traumatic circumstances before returning home.

The Governor revealed that the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs Blessing Felix, had been directed by the State Executive Council to liaise with relevant authorities and work out arrangements for the safe return of Abia indigenes allegedly trapped in South Africa.

On workers’ welfare, the State Chief Executive said the government had completed the payment of outstanding gratuities to senior citizens who retired between 2001 and 2010, adding that the administration was preparing to address the entitlements of the remaining retirees from 2011 to date.

Governor Otti also announced that the state had rolled out the contributory pension scheme for more than 36,000 workers, noting that the arrangement would make pension and gratuity payments easier and more sustainable.

He further announced the establishment of a technology-driven Citizen Engagement Centre to enable residents to communicate directly with the government, report issues, ask questions and make inputs into governance and the development of the state.

He said the centre had been equipped with a helpline and an email platform, assuring that his administration’s people-centred approach would remain central to its policies and programmes.