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

The government said the figure was contained in the report of a committee set up to review outstanding gratuities owed to retired workers across the state.

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

According to Kanu, the committee reviewed gratuity liabilities accumulated under successive administrations as part of the state government’s efforts to establish the extent of the outstanding obligations and develop a framework for settling them.

He said the committee’s findings showed that the administrations of Orji and Ikpeazu paid only 0.01 per cent of the gratuities owed to retirees between 2011 and 2023.

Kanu said the development underscored the scale of the backlog inherited by the present administration and the need for a structured approach to clearing the outstanding liabilities.

He disclosed that the Otti administration had commenced the payment of outstanding gratuities, beginning with verified beneficiaries who retired between 2001 and 2010.

The commissioner said the government was determined to ensure that the payment process was transparent, orderly and sustainable, with beneficiaries receiving their entitlements through a dedicated payment system.

He explained that only verified retirees would be eligible for payment under the arrangement, adding that the government was putting measures in place to prevent further accumulation of gratuity arrears.

Kanu said the administration remained committed to addressing the longstanding financial obligations to retirees and restoring confidence in the state’s pension and gratuity system.

He added that the government would continue to review its financial capacity while implementing the payment plan in line with approved budgetary provisions.

The commissioner maintained that clearing the inherited gratuity backlog was part of the administration’s broader commitment to improving workers’ welfare and meeting its obligations to retired public servants.