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The Government of Abia State, under Governor Alex Otti has asserted that it has not reneged on its promise to increase workers’ salaries, rather taking time to clarify his position.
Otti made this disclosure on Thursday while briefing journalists in the state capital, Umuahia.
According to him, implementing the salary review depends on the availability of funds.
“I have not withdrawn my promise to increase workers’ salaries, but implementing it will depend on the availability of funds; hence, a committee has been working on it,” he stated.
Meanwhile, he added that the state recently secured a $125 million loan from the Islamic Development Bank for its 2024 budget implementation.
Read Also: Otti Names CMDs For Govt Hospitals, Abia Poly Rector
“Two days ago, the Islamic Development Bank approved the sum of $125 million as a loan for us to implement the budget,” he said.
The Eastern Updates recalls that in December last year, Otti had signed the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N567.2 billion into law.
However, the state had planned to borrow 71 per cent to fund the 2024 budget.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has thrown their support behind the government of Abia State in its drive to sustain growth in commerce, through introduction of technological advancement in Aba shoe-manufacturing sector.
This would be done to make sure that final goods are exported, which would give Aba-made goods the credit they merit and provide a source of foreign exchange profits.
Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie, assistant secretary general of the United Nations (UN) made this known during a meeting with Priscilla Otti, the wife of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and her team, at the 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, in New York, United States of America.
The Eastern Updates gathered that Eziakonwa-Onochie, who also doubles as the UNDP assistant administrator and director, Regional Bureau for Africa, expressed the willingness of the UNDP to give further support to achieve the empowerment initiatives of the Government of Abia State.
