Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has dispelled allegations of mass retrenchment of civil servants, saying he has no intention of firing any employee within the state workforce.
Otti stated this at the Banquet Hall, Government House Umuahia, during his monthly media parley with newsmen tagged,” Alex Otti Speaks” on Friday night.
The governor, while reiterating the administration’s resolve to improve the state civil service to maximize output and performance, said that increased efficiency has already been aided by regular salary payments.
“I don’t know where that claim is coming from,” the governor remarked. “Something like a mass layoff is unmatched. We haven’t given it a second consideration.
“We don’t have any such intentions, as I previously stated. We’ll keep working to improve our civil service and increase productivity, especially now that employees are paid at the end of each month, eliminating any justification for absenteeism.”
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The governor linked fear of retrenchment of workers to guilt stemming from poor work habits.
Otti, therefore, warned civil servants accustomed to absenteeism that truancy would no longer be tolerated under the present administration.
While addressing the issue of disengaged workers in the state civil service due to non-indigeneship under previous administrations in the state, he expressed his satisfaction that a number of those affected have been re-engaged.
He went on to say that his administration is currently reviewing the cases of the remaining few disengaged workers to reintegrate them into the state workforce.
The governor reaffirmed his commitment to an inclusive government, emphasizing that all state contributors, regardless of origin, will receive the same treatment.
