The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has approved the payment of pension arrears owed to surviving retirees of the Abia State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) who served between 2000 and 2010.
The decision is expected to bring relief to the affected retirees who had been excluded from pension benefits for years due to policy limitations that existed at the time of their service.
The approval followed a humanitarian appeal by the affected pensioners, who organized under the platform “Surviving Abia ADP Retirees 2000–2010.” Their request was submitted through the Office of the Ombudsman/Public Complaints in collaboration with the office of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
Why the Retirees Were Previously Excluded
When the Abia State Agricultural Development Programme was initially established, employment under the scheme was not pensionable. It was only in 2011 that the Abia State Government introduced a policy making ADP employment pensionable.
As a result, staff who had served and retired between 2000 and 2010 were left out of the new pension arrangement, leaving many of them without retirement benefits despite years of service.
However, after learning about the reforms introduced by Governor Otti’s administration particularly the clearing of long-standing pension arrears and the restoration of regular pension payments the affected retirees formally appealed to the governor for intervention.
Governor Otti Responds to Humanitarian Appeal
Governor Otti’s approval of the pension arrears is widely seen as a compassionate response aimed at correcting a long-standing policy gap that affected many senior citizens in the state.
The decision reflects the administration’s broader commitment to improving the welfare of retirees and addressing historical injustices within the public service system. For many of the beneficiaries, the move represents long-awaited recognition after years of financial hardship.
Otti’s Ongoing Efforts to Clear Salary and Pension Debts
Since assuming office, Governor Otti has continued to tackle outstanding financial obligations inherited from previous administrations. His government has cleared several major salary and pension backlogs across different state institutions.
Some of the arrears already settled include:
32 months of salary arrears owed to workers of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic (formerly Abia Polytechnic).
Outstanding salaries owed to disengaged staff of the same institution.
26 months of unpaid salaries owed to staff of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH).
11 months of salary arrears owed to staff of Abia State University.
36 months of unpaid salaries owed to workers of Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA).
Several months of salary arrears owed to workers under the Abia State Health Management Board, including primary school teachers and staff of the Secondary Education Management Board.
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Commitment to Workers’ Welfare
The latest approval further underscores the Otti administration’s focus on addressing legacy financial obligations and improving the welfare of both active workers and retirees in the state.
According to the Abia State Government, the move aligns with Governor Otti’s belief that governance must prioritize the well-being of citizens, especially senior citizens who dedicated years of service to the state.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Citizen Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, on March 5, 2026.